ceeded in gaining the
barracks unsuspected."

She sat as if fascinated by his recital.

"Your father heard the shot, and sprang toward the sound, only to fall
headlong across my father's lifeless body. As he came down heavily,
his revolver was jarred out of its holster and dropped unnoticed in the
grass. An instant later the guard came running up, and by morning
Captain Nolan was under arrest, charged with murder. The
circumstantial evidence was strong--his quarrel with the murdered man,
his heated language a few moments previous, the revolver lying beside
the body, having two chambers discharged, and his being found there
alone with the man he had gone forth to seek. Slavin and Flynn both
strengthened the case by positive testimony. As a result, a court
martial dismissed the prisoner in disgrace from the army, and a civil
court sentenced him to ten years' imprisonment."

"And my mother?" The question was a trembling whisper from quivering
lips.

"Your mother," he said, regretfully, "was an exceedingly proud woman,
belonging to a family of social prominence in the East. She felt
deeply the causeless gossip connecting her name with the case, as well
as the open disgrace of her husband's conviction. She refused to
receive her former friends, and even failed in loyalty to your father
in his time of trial. It is impossible now to fix the fault clearly,
or to account for her actions. Captain Nolan turned over all his
property to her, and the moment she could do so, she disappeared from
the fort, taking you with her. From that hour none of her old
acquaintances could learn anything regarding her whereabouts. She did
not return to her family in the East, nor correspond with any one in
the army. Probably, utterly broken-hearted, she sought seclusion in
some city. How Gillis obtained possession of you remains a mystery."

"Is that all?"

"Everything."

They kept silence for a long while, the slow tears dropping from her
eyes, her hands clasped in her lap. His heart, heavy with sympathy,
would not permit him to break in upon her deep sorrow with words of
comfort.

"Naida," he whispered, at last, "this may not be the time for me to
speak such words, but you are all alone now. Will you go back to
Bethune with me--back to the old regiment as my wife?"

A moment she bowed her head before him; then lifted it and held out her
hands. "I will."

"Say to me again what you once said."

"Donald, I love you."