leading
to the kitchen, and, once there, the rest of the house was practically
open. Such a thing as burglary or sneak thieving about the officers'
quarters had been unheard of at Frayne for many a year. One precaution
the visitors had taken, that of unbolting the back door, so that retreat
might not be barred in case they were discovered. Then they had gone
swiftly and noiselessly about their work.

But what had they taken? The silver was upstairs, intact, under Mrs.
Blake's bed; so was the little safe in which was kept her jewelry and
their valuable papers. Books, bric-a-brac,--everything down
stairs--seemed unmolested. No item was missing from its accustomed
place. Mrs. Blake thought perhaps the intruders had not entered her room
at all. In Gerald's den were "stacks," as he said, of relics, souvenirs,
trophies of chase and war, but no one thing of the intrinsic value of
fifty dollars. What could have been the object of their midnight search?
was the question all Fort Frayne was asking as people dispersed and went
home,--the doctor intimating it was high time that Mrs. Blake was
permitted to seek repose. Not until he had practically cleared the house
of all but her most intimate friends, Mrs. Dade and Mrs. Ray, would
Waller permit himself to ask a question that had been uppermost in his
mind ever since he heard her story.

"Mrs. Blake, someone has been ransacking Mr. Field's quarters for
letters or papers. Now,--was there anything of that kind left by the
captain that--someone may have needed?"

Nannie Blake's head was uplifted instantly from Marion's shoulder. She
had been beginning to feel the reaction. For one moment the three women
looked intently into each other's faces. Then up they started and
trooped away into Gerald's den. The doctor followed. The upper drawer of
a big, flat-topped desk stood wide open, and pretty Mrs. Blake opened
her eyes and mouth in emulation as she briefly exclaimed--

"It's gone!"

Then Waller went forthwith to the quarters of the commander and caught
him still in conference with his quartermaster and the guard, four or
five of the latter being grouped without. The major retired to his front
room, where, with Wilkins, he received the doctor.

"Major Flint," said Waller, "those overcoats belong to Mr. Hay's
stablemen,--Pete and Crapaud. Will you order their immediate arrest?"

"I would, doctor," was the answer, "but they are not at the corral. We
know how to account for the hoofb