e, and I would not ask; but they were
of such a character that they should be treated as sacred confidences,
and Weeks said to me that no court-martial could drag them from his
lips. He would resign first. It was for fear his patient might continue
the subject in her presence that Weeks begged Mrs. Miller not to think
of coming to nurse him yet awhile. He assures me that the moment the
fever subsides he will be glad to have her aid, for he looks worn-out
now. Were not his reasons cogent?"

Miller bowed his head. "I had not thought of this," he said; "Mrs.
Miller will be as sorry as I am to hear of it, and, of course, she will
appreciate the reasons. Did Weeks tell you when this delirium began?"

"The night after Hatton left, or, rather, very early in the morning of
the next day. He had been alarmed at McLean's symptoms during the
evening, and ordered the nurse to wake him if he saw any indications of
delirium. The man came to him at three in the morning and said the
lieutenant was wild. Weeks went over at once,--and ten minutes after he
got there he sent the attendant away, and shut himself up with his
patient."

The major pondered a moment. "Is the man close-mouthed? Do you think he
could have heard much of anything before he was sent away?"

"I know very little about him. He is a member of Captain Bruce's
company and very much attached to the lieutenant; so I infer from what
Weeks tells me. Even if he had heard anything that ought not to leak
out, it is not likely this particular man would betray it; he would say
nothing that might ever harm McLean."

"Well, no! Not McLean, perhaps. Very possibly he might not know how it
would harm him to have his ravings repeated. I was thinking--I could
not help thinking--that Mac had been talking about--these recent thefts
in garrison."

"And there have been more than this one at our house?" asked the
doctor, with concern and surprise mingled in his handsome face.

"Yes, two or three more, I regret to say, but I have not full
particulars yet and cannot speak of them."

Bayard clasped his hands with one of the melodramatic gestures so
peculiar to him.

"My God!" he muttered. "It was bad enough as I supposed it, but I had
no idea it had come to such a pass as this."

"Bayard," said the major, after a moment of earnest thought, "this is a
matter that must be handled with the utmost care and circumspection.
Not a vestige of suspicion must be permitted to circulate if we can