g it. These men were very few, however; but Buxton
was one of them. Rayner's eyes were fixed upon the colonel and searching
for a sign, and it came,--a little motion of the hand and a nod of the
head that signified "Stay." Then, as Buxton and one or two of his stamp
still dallied irresolute, the colonel turned somewhat sharply to them:
"Was there any matter on which you wished to see me, gentlemen?" and, as
there was none, they _had_ to go. Then Rayner was alone with the
colonel; for Mr. Billings quickly arose, and, with a significant glance
at his commander, left the room and closed the door.

Mrs. Rayner, gazing from her parlor windows, saw that all the officers
had come out except one,--her husband,--and with a moan of misery she
covered her face with her hands and sank upon the sofa. With cheeks as
white as her sister's, with eyes full of trouble and perplexity, but
tearless, Nellie Travers stepped quickly into the room and put a
trembling white hand upon the other's shoulder:

"Kate, it is no time for so bitter an estrangement as this. I have done
simply what our soldier father would have done had he been here. I am
fully aware of what it must cost me. I knew when I did it that you would
never again welcome me to your home. Once East again, you and I can go
our ways; I won't burden you longer; but is it not better that you
should tell me in what way your husband or you can have been injured by
what I have done?"

Mrs. Rayner impatiently shook away the hand.

"I don't want to talk to you," was the blunt answer. "You have carried
out your threat and--ruined _us_: that's all."

"What _can_ you mean? Do you want me to think that because Mr. Hayne's
innocence may be established your husband was the guilty man? Certainly
your manner leads to that inference; though his does not, by any means."

"I don't want to talk, I tell you. You've had your way,--done your work.
You'll see soon enough the hideous web of trouble you've entangled
about my husband. Don't you dare say--don't you dare think"--and now she
rose with sudden fury--"that he was the--that he lost the money! But
that's what all others will think."

"If that were true, Kate, there would be this difference between his
trouble and Mr. Hayne's: Captain Rayner would have wife, wealth, and
friends to help him bear the cross; Mr. Hayne has borne it five long
years unaided. I pray God the truth _has_ been brought to light."

What fierce reply Mrs. Rayner might ha