er, and there
was a scar on the back of it, a very peculiar scar. It chanced I had
the evening previous slightly quarrelled with the officer who was
killed; I was the only person known to be near at the time he was shot;
certain other circumstantial evidence was dug up, while Slavin and one
other--no, it was not you--gave some damaging, manufactured testimony
against me. As a result I was held guilty of murder in the second
degree, dismissed the army in disgrace, and sentenced to ten years'
imprisonment. So, you see, it was not exactly you I have been hunting,
Murphy,--it was a scar."

Murphy's face was distorted into a hideous grin. "I notice you bear
exactly that kind of a scar, my man, and you spoke last night as if you
had some recollection of the case."

The mocking grin expanded; into the husky voice crept a snarl of
defiance, for now Murphy's courage had come back--he was fronting flesh
and blood. "Oh, stop preachin'--an' shoot--an' be damned ter ye!"

"You do me a grave injustice, Murphy. In the first place, I do not
possess the nature of an Indian, and am not out for revenge. Your
slashing at me down in Glencaid has n't left so much as a sting behind.
It's completely blotted out, forgotten. I haven't the slightest desire
to kill you, man; but I do want to clear my name of the stain of that
crime. I want you to tell the whole truth about that night's work at
Bethune; and when you have done so, you can go. I 'll never lay a
finger on you; you can go where you please."

"Bah!--ye ain't got no proof--agin me--'sides, the case is closed--it
can't be opened agin--by law."

"You devil! I 'd be perfectly justified in killing you," exclaimed
Hampton, savagely.

Murphy stared at him stupidly, the cunning of incipient insanity in his
eyes. "En' whar--do ye expect--me ter say--all this, pervidin', of
course--I wus fule 'nough--ter do it?"

"Up yonder before Custer and the officers of the Seventh, when we get
in."

"They'd nab me--likely."

"Now, see here, you say it is impossible for them to touch you, because
the case is closed legally. Now, you do not care very much for the
opinion of others, while from every other standpoint you feel perfectly
safe. But I 've had to suffer for your crime, Murphy, suffer for
fifteen years, ten of them behind stone walls; and there are others who
have suffered with me. It has cost me love, home, all that a man holds
dear. I 've borne this punishment for you, pa