s
open. Cary watched below, while I hunted for my cousin's room. I found
it easily. I knew they had sent her money, and orders to come
home--uncle had written me as much. I found her desk. I knew it well of
old, and then, to my horror, I heard her voice, and in a second she was
in the room. She gave one awful scream, though I tore off my cap and
begged her to know me, but she fell in a faint. Others were coming. I
broke out of the back window, slid and scrambled down the roof to the
shed and so to the ground. I heard men come running, so I dove into the
coal-shed, where the sergeant grabbed me in the dark and I--had to make
him let go, and--said I was Lieutenant Lanier. Later I crawled through a
hole in the fence and started for the store, scared out of my wits.
Right at the next gate I crashed into two men, grappled and fighting.
We all three fell in a heap. I picked myself and cap up and ran again;
caught Cary at the store just jumping into a sleigh, and we lashed those
horses every inch of the way, left them at a ranch gate, and ran to the
station. The train was a few minutes late. Rawdon presently came, and he
took me to Omaha, as I begged him, for I didn't know what could or would
be done to me if I was caught. He, too, had to get away or be thrown
into the guard-house, and that--that's about all."

"You have that overcoat with you yet, I believe--that cavalry coat."

"It's all I have had to wear, sir," was the rueful answer, as, rising,
he took the garment from the arm of his chair and laid it upon the
table, with the yellow lining of the cape thrown back, exposing a rent
or gash, whereupon Captain Sumter arose, took from an envelope a sliver
of yellow cloth, and fitted it into the gap. "This," said he, "I found
on the hook of the storm-sash, and this," he continued, laying beside it
a rusty sheath knife, "was later found under the snow, close under the
dormer window." Then turning the overcoat inside out, he displayed on
the back lining in stencil the name "Rawdon."

"And now," said Riggs, "we will hear the accused."

"It isn't necessary," began Button, turning in his chair. "I have heard
more than enough----"

"It _is_ necessary, Colonel Button, if you please, for my satisfaction
as investigator. Of course Mr. Lanier is not obliged to speak, but a few
matters remain to be cleared up. There is yet the time-honored problem
of 'who struck Billy Patterson,'" and Button subsided.

"The matter is quite simple,"