He _asked_ to go, I suppose--It runs in the blood," said the general,
quickly, with a keen look from his blue-gray eyes.

"I think not, sir; but you will see Webb within a few days and he will
tell you all about it. What I know is this, that Field was ordered to go
and that he gave the major an order on Hay for two packages containing
the money for which he was accountable. Field and Wilkins had had a
falling out, and, instead of putting the cash in the quartermaster's
safe, Field kept it at Hay's. At guard mounting Hay brought the package
to the major, who opened both in presence of the officers of the day.
Each package was supposed to contain three or four hundred dollars.
Neither contained twenty. Some paper slips inserted between five dollar
bills made up the packages. Field was then far to the north and past
conferring with. Hay was amazed and distressed--said that someone must
have duplicate keys of his safe as well as of his stables."

"Why the stables?" asked the chief, pausing at the gate and studying the
troubled face of the honored soldier he so well knew and so fully
trusted. He was thinking, too, how this was not the first occasion that
the loss of public money had been hidden for the time in just that
way--slips inserted between good currency.

"Because it transpires that some of his horses were out that very night
without his consent or ken. No one for a moment, to my knowledge, has
connected Field with the loss of the money. Hay thought, however, it
threw suspicion on _him_, and was mightily upset."

"Then his sudden departure at this time, without a word to anybody
looks--odd," said the general, thoughtfully. "But _he_ had no need of
money. He's one of the wealthiest men in Wyoming. And she--his
wife,--needs nothing. He gives her all she can possibly want." By this
time they were at the door. A lamp still burned dimly in the hallway,
and Dade blew it out, as he ushered the general into the cosily lighted
dining-room.

"You'll excuse Mrs. Dade and Esther, I hope, sir. They are not yet
up--quite overcome by anxiety and excitement,--there's been a lot about
Frayne the last two days.--Take this chair, General. Coffee will be
served at once. No, sir, as you say, the Hays have no need of money--he
and his wife, that is."

"But you suspect--whom?" asked the general, the blue-gray eyes intent on
the troubled face before him, for Dade's very hesitancy told of some
untold theory. The doctor and the aide had