interest you," and, thus bidden, the trader joined the soldiers three on
the veranda, and some of the young people of the garrison, setting up
their croquet arches on the parade, looked curiously toward the group,
and wondered what should keep the old officer-of-the-day so long.
Sauntering down the walk, smiling radiantly upon the occupants of the
various verandas that she passed, then beaming between times into the
face of her smitten escort, her black eyes and white teeth flashing in
the rare sunshine, Nanette Flower was gradually nearing the major's
quarters. She was barely twenty yards away when, in obedience to some
word of the major, Mr. Hay held forth two white packages that, even at
the distance, could be recognized, so far as the outer covering was
concerned, as official envelopes. She was too far away, perhaps, to hear
what was said.

"It seems," began Webb, to his officers, as he mechanically opened the
first packet, "that Field took fire at Wilkins's growls about the bother
of keeping his funds, so the youngster stowed his money with Hay. He
insisted on turning over everything before he left, so I receipted to
him. Let's see," he continued, glancing at the memorandum in his hand.
"Three hundred and seventy-two dollars and eighty-five cents post fund,
and four hundred belonging to various enlisted men. I may as well count
it in your presence."

By this time the long, lean fingers had ripped open the package marked
four hundred, and were extracting the contents,--a sheet of official
paper with figures and memoranda, and then a flat package, apparently,
of currency. Topmost was a five dollar treasury note; bottom-most
another of the same denomination. Between them, deftly cut, trimmed and
sized, were blank slips of paper to the number of perhaps thirty and the
value of not one cent. With paling faces the officers watched the
trembling fingers slash open the second, its flap, as was that of the
first envelope, securely gummed,--not sealed. A nickel or two and a few
dimes slid out before the packet came. It was of like consistency with
the first--and of about the same value. Webb lifted up his eyes and
looked straight into the amazed,--almost livid, face of the trader.

"My God! Major Webb," cried Hay, aghast and bewildered. "Don't look at
me like that! No man on earth has ever accused me of a crime. This means
that not only my stable but my safe has been robbed,--and there is a
traitor within my gates."

Dr