st be
considered a brevet second lieutenant, and besought Dr. Bayard's
permission to visit his patient, Mr. McLean, to solicit the loan of his
uniforms, sword, etc. Major Miller laughed gleefully at the idea, and
all the garrison was beginning to pluck up heart again, for Hatton's
wounds were pronounced not dangerous, though painful, and all the
infantry people were proud of the way he and McLean had upheld the
honor of their corps. Jeannie Bruce and Elinor had had long hours of
who knows what delicious confidence and tearful exchange of sympathy.
McLean was reported doing very well; Blunt was improving; Miss Forrest
was taking the air on the gallery. Everybody seemed in better spirits,
despite a certain constraint and mystery that overhung the
garrison,--everybody, with one exception--Dr. Bayard.

"Mr. McLean is improving so rapidly that he is able to sit up already
and will need his uniform himself," was his response to Holmes's
laughing suggestion, but both Major Miller and the gentleman addressed
looked at the speaker in surprise. One might have hazarded the
assertion that it was a matter of regret to the post surgeon that his
patient was on the mend. Miller eyed him narrowly. Ever since the
strange conversation held with the doctor, the post commander had
become almost distrustful of his motives. What could he mean by
intimating that McLean was the guilty party in these recent mysterious
larcenies? What could have put such ideas into his head? For the first
time in several days the major was tempted to reopen the subject which
he had practically forbidden his wife to mention again. He longed to
know what she would say or think if she knew that the surgeon was
trying to divert suspicion from Miss Forrest to the wounded and
unsuspecting officer. Now that the cavalry had gone out to the front
and more troops were marching up from the railway, all anxiety as to
his immediate surroundings was dispelled, and the major could not avoid
drifting back to the strange complications in which two of the
prominent people of his military bailiwick were involved. He had taken
a great liking to Mr. Holmes, and had striven to open the way for that
gentleman in case he had the faintest inclination to speak of his
losses; but, though the civilian instantly saw what the simple-minded
old soldier was aiming at, he changed the subject, and it presently
became plain to the commander that he would not speak about the matter
at all. Miller