e question
impatiently. "Dr. Delaven is above suspicion; he is about to offer his
services as surgeon to our cause--talked to me of it tonight. The
uniform was for some jest with my sister. It has nothing whatever to
do with this."

"What became of the man you suspected as a spy this morning?" asked
the Judge, and McVeigh also looked at Masterson for reply.

"No, it was not he," said the latter, decidedly. "He was watched every
minute of his stay here, and his stay was very brief. But Colonel
McVeigh--Kenneth; even at the risk of your displeasure I must remind
you that Dr. Delaven is not the only guest here who is either neutral
or pledged to the cause of our enemies--I mean Captain Jack Monroe."

"Impossible!" said McVeigh; but Masterson shook his head.

"If the name of every guest here tonight were mentioned you would feel
justified in saying the same thing--impossible, yet it has been
possible, since the papers are gone. Who but the Federals would want
them? Captain Monroe of the Federal army allowed himself to be taken
prisoner this morning and brought to your home, though he had a parole
in his pocket! The careless reason he gave for it did not satisfy me,
and now even you must agree that it looks suspicious."

McVeigh glanced from one to the other in perplexity. He felt that the
Judge agreed with Masterson; he was oppressed by the memory of the
accusation against the sailor that morning. Spies and traitors at
McVeigh Terrace! He had placed his orderly on guard in the room so
soon as he discovered the rifled drawer, and had at once come to
Masterson for consultation, but once there no solution of the problem
suggested itself. There seemed literally no starting point for
investigation. The crowd of people there had made the difficulty
greater, for servants of the guests had also been there--drivers and
boatmen. Yet who among them could have access to the rooms of the
family? He shook his head at Masterson's suggestion.

"Your suspicions against Captain Monroe are without foundation," he
said decidedly. "The papers had not yet reached me when he arrived. He
had no knowledge of their existence."

"How do we know that?" demanded Masterson. "Do you forget that he was
present when I gave you the papers?"

McVeigh stopped short and stared at him. By the thin edge of the wedge
of suspicion a door seemed forced back and a flood of revelations
forced in.

"By Jove!" he said, slowly, "and he heard me speak of the i