to this
particular house, and I wish you would go away."

"Which means," he said, after a pause, "that you are in some danger?"

"Oh, no! if it were that," and her glance was almost coquettish, "I
should ask you to remain as my champion."

"Pardon, Madame," and he shook his head, doubtfully, "but I remember
days in New Orleans, and I know you better than that."

She only raised her brows and smiled. He watched her for a moment and
then said: "Colonel McVeigh is a friend; I should not like to think
that your presence means danger to him."

"What an idea!" and she laughed heartily; "am I grown such a thing of
terror that I dare not enter a door lest danger follow? Who could be
oppressed with political schemes in this delightful life of the
plantation? It is really Eden-like; that is why I have purchased one
of the places for my own; it is worth seeing. If you remain I shall
invite you over; shall you?"

"For some reason you wish I would not; if I only knew what the reason
is!"

"A few months ago you did not question my motives," she said,
reprovingly; then in a lower tone, "Your commander has never
questioned, why should you? Your President has sent me messages of
commendation for my independent work. One, received before I left
Mobile, I should like you to see," and she rose from the chair. He
put out his hand to stop her.

"Not if it has connection with any plot or plan of work against the
people on this side of the line; remember, I am on parole."

"Oh, I shall respect your scruples," she said, lightly. "But you need
have no dread of that sort. I would not keep by me anything dangerous;
it is not compromising to the Marquise de Caron in any way." She
halted at the door and added, "Will you wait?"

"Yes, I will wait," he said; "but I can't approve, and I don't need
the evidence of any one else in order to appreciate your value," he
added, grimly; "but be careful, remember where you are."

"I could not forget it if I tried, Captain Jack," she declared, with a
peculiar smile, of which the meaning escaped him until long after.

That ride from Loringwood in the morning, and the nervous expectancy
after, had evidently tended to undermine her own self-confidence and
usual power of resource, for when she returned to the room a few
minutes later, and found Gertrude and her uncle there, she halted in
absolute confusion--could not collect her thoughts quickly enough for
the emergency, and glanced inquiringly towar