mply had to tell you." She felt sure there was
something he was concealing; something he would not tell her; something
concerning Nanette, therefore, because she so loved Nanette, he shrank
from revealing what might wound her. Indeed, it was best that Nanette
should go for the time, at least, but Mrs. Hay little dreamed that
others would be saying--even this kindly, gentle woman before her--that
Nanette should have stayed until certain strange things were thoroughly
and satisfactorily explained.

But the moment she began, faltering not a little, to speak of matters
at the post, as a means of leading up to Nanette--matters concerning
Lieutenant Field and his financial affairs,--to her surprise Mrs. Dade
gently uplifted her hand and voice. "I am going to ask you not to tell
me, Mrs. Hay," said she. "Captain Dade has given me to understand there
was something to be investigated, but preferred that I should not ask
about it. Now, the general will be down in fifteen or twenty minutes. I
suggest that we walk over the hospital and see how Mr. Field is getting
on. We can talk, you know, as we go. Then you will breakfast with us.
Indeed, may I not give you a cup of coffee now, Mrs. Hay?"

But Mrs. Hay said no. She had had coffee before coming. She would go and
see if there was anything they could do for Field, and would try again
to induce Mrs. Dade to listen to certain of her explanations.

But Mrs. Dade was silent and preoccupied. She was thinking of that story
of Nanette's going, and wondering whether it could be true. She was
wondering if Mrs. Hay knew the couriers had gone to recall Hay, and that
if he and Nanette failed to return it might mean trouble for both. She
could accord to Mrs. Hay no confidences of her own, and had been
compelled to decline to listen to those with which Mrs. Hay would have
favored her. She was thinking of something still more perplexing. The
general, as her husband finally told her, had asked first thing to see
Hay, and later declared that he wished to talk with Mrs. Hay and see
Nanette. Was it possible he knew anything of what she knew--that
between Hay's household and Stabber's village there had been
communication of some kind--that the first thing found in the Indian
pouch brought home by Captain Blake, was a letter addressed in Nanette
Flower's hand, and with it three card photographs, two of them of
unmistakable Indians in civilized garb, and two letters, addressed, like
hers, to Mr. Ralph