. He wore
no coat or vest and was evidently prepared for bed when disturbed.

"What's all the row about?" he asked, yawning. "Oh, are you in it,
Colonel?"

There was a slight pause before McVeigh said:

"Captain Monroe, the row is over for the present, since your
confederate has escaped."

"My--confederate?"

He glanced in inquiry from one to the other, but could see no
friendliness in their faces. Delaven looked as puzzled as himself, but
the other three regarded him coldly. He tossed his half finished
cigar out of the door, and seemed to grow taller, as he turned toward
them again.

"May I ask in what way I am linked with a confederacy."

"In using your parole to gain knowledge of our army for the use of the
Federal government," answered McVeigh, bluntly.

Monroe made a step forward, but halted, drew a long breath, and thrust
his uninjured hand into his pocket, as if to hamper its aggressive
tendencies.

"Is it considered a part of Southern hospitality that the host
reserves the right to insult his guests?" he asked slowly. Masterson's
face flushed with anger at the sweeping suggestion, but McVeigh
glanced at him warningly.

"This is not a time for useless words, Captain Monroe, and it seems
useless to discuss the rights of the hospitality you have outraged."

"That is not true, Colonel McVeigh," and his tones were very steady as
he made the denial. His very steadiness and cool selfcontrol angered
McVeigh, who had hoped to see him astonished, indignant, natural.

"Not true?" he demanded. "Is it not true that you were received here
as a friend, welcomed as a brother? That you listened this morning
when those military dispatches reached me? That you heard me say they
were very important? That as soon as they were stolen from my room
tonight you announced that you could not prolong your stay, your
object in coming having evidently been accomplished? Is it not true
that today you managed to divert suspicion from yourself to an
innocent lady? The authorities were evidently right who had that
sailor followed here; but unknown to her it was not his employer he
came here to meet, but _you_, his confederate! He was only the
messenger, while you were the real spy--the officer who has broken
his parole of honor."

Monroe had listened with set teeth to the accusation, a certain
doggedness in his expression as the list of his delinquencies were
reviewed, but at the final sentence the clenched hand shot forward an