you will loathe me and yourself as
well when this madness is overpast! Oh, go; go quickly, lest I, too,
forget--"

And so it was that I found sudden strength to turn and leave her
kneeling there; turned to grope blindly for the door with all the pains
of hell aflame within me.

For now I had put honor under foot; now I knew that I had truly earned
her scorn and loathing. I could no longer plead that I was the puppet of
fate flung against my will between this maiden and my dear lad. I was
the wilful offender; false to my love, false to my friend, a recreant to
every oath wherewith I had bound myself to be true and loyal to these
two.

With such a flaming sword to drive me forth, I stumbled from the room,
thinking only how I should quickest rid me of myself. Hastening to my
garret sleeping-place I buckled on my sword, found my shako, and went
straight to my Lord's bed-chamber. My rap at the door went unanswered,
and a broad-shouldered young fellow in a lieutenant's uniform, lounging
on a settle in the clock landing of the stair, told me Lord Cornwallis
was gone out.

I was face to face with this young lieutenant before I recognized him;
being so bent upon haste I should have passed him on the landing without
a second glance had he not risen to grip me by the shoulders.

"By the Lord Harry!" he cried, "is it thus you pass an old friend
without a word, Captain Ireton?"

'Twas my good death-watch; that Lieutenant Tybee of the light-horse who
had sunk the British officer in the man in that trying night at Appleby
Hundred. I returned his hearty greeting as well as I might, and would
have explained my present state and standing but that I was loath to lie
to him. But as to this, he saved me the shame of it.

"I could have sworn you were no rebel, Captain Ireton; indeed, I made
bold to say as much to our colonel, after it was all over. I told him a
soft word or two would have won you back to your old service. You see I
knew better than the others what lay beneath all your madnesses that
night."

"You knew somewhat, but not all," I said; and thereupon, lest he should
involve me deeper and detain me longer when I was athirst to be gone, I
hastened to ask where I might hope to find his Lordship and Colonel
Tarleton.

"'Tis the hour for parade; you will find them at the camp," he replied.
And then, out of the honest English heart of him: "Have you made your
peace, Captain? Do you need a friend to go with you?"

I said