"Bring him out? I beg your pardon, sir; but I don't know who you are. I
can't give up a prisoner without orders."

The officer, who seemed to be suffering with a bad cold, and wore the
collar of his cloak turned up so as to conceal the greater part of his
face, opened the lower part of his garment, so that the corporal could
see his uniform. At the same time he took from his pocket a paper, which
he opened, and handed to the guard.

"That's all right," said the latter, when he had read the document. "Of
course, you will leave this with me?"

"Certainly. Now bring out the man; and lose no time, for I am in a
hurry."

Somers was conducted from the room to the car-house below, where the
officer asked for a soldier to guard the prisoner to the office of the
provost-marshal, who was waiting for him. The corporal furnished the man;
and the captive walked off between his two companions, bewildered by the
sudden change which had taken place in the course of events. He could not
imagine why he had been singled out from the rest of the prisoners in the
station-house, unless some specific and more definite charge than being
in arms against the great Southern Confederacy had been laid at his door.
The most unpleasant thought that came to his mind was that Captain de
Banyan had betrayed the object of his mission to the south side of the
river. There was good evidence that his fellow-officer had come over as a
spy; and the hope of saving his own life might have induced him to
sacrifice even one who had been his best friend.

It was not pleasant to think of Captain de Banyan as capable of doing so
mean an act; for he had been regarded in the regiment as the soul of
honor,--of worldly honor, which scorns to do a vile thing if public
opinion has condemned it. But the astounding information which he had
obtained among the rebels concerning his friend's antecedents had
destroyed his confidence in him, and he was prepared for anything from
him. In this light, his situation was almost hopeless; for the evidence
would certainly condemn him before any court-martial in the Confederacy,
and the chances of escape were lessened by his separation from his
unfortunate companions in arms. He had probably been taken away from them
to prevent even the possibility of exercising his talent in getting away,
as he had done after his capture.

They walked in silence along the gloomy and deserted streets; and Somers
felt just as if he were marching