Miss
Forrest. It was I who urged that your brother be sent here at once,
though the general believes it was on Mrs. Forrest's account, that he
might put an end to these peculations and restore what property could
be recovered from you,--you who have suffered a loss far greater than
all the others put together and never said a word about it."

And poor Miller, who had never made so long a speech in his life
before, turned chokingly away. Then Mrs. Miller spoke, and Miss
Forrest's dilated eyes were turned slowly from the major's bulky shape
to the matronly form upon the sofa and the woe-begone face that
appeared from behind the handkerchief. Miss Forrest's cheeks had paled
and her lips were parted. She had seized and was leaning upon the back
of a chair, but not one word had she spoken. As Mrs. Miller's voice was
heard, it seemed as though a slight contraction of the muscles brought
about a decided frown upon her white forehead, but she listened in
utter silence.

"Indeed, Miss Forrest, you musn't blame the major too much. He wouldn't
have listened to a word against you--if--if it hadn't been for me. I
was all at fault. But I couldn't have believed a word against you had
it not been for those letters from Robinson. They--they----"

And here Mrs. Miller had recourse to her handkerchief, and Miss Forrest
stretched forth her hand as though to urge her say no more. There was
intense silence in the parlor a moment. Then through the open windows
came the sudden sound of a scuffle, a woman's shriek, a sudden fall,
voluble curses and ravings in Celestine's familiar tones, and the rush
of many feet toward Bedlam.

Seizing his cap and hurrying thither, the major pushed his way through
an excited group on the lower gallery. The sergeant of the guard,
lantern in hand, was wonderingly contemplating the Scotch "striker"
Lachlan, who firmly clung to the wrist of the struggling, swearing
girl, despite her adjurations to let her go. Other men from the
quarters were clustered around them, hardly knowing what to say, for
Lachlan contented himself with the single word "thief!" and never
relaxed his grasp until the major bade him do so, but instantly renewed
it as his prisoner attempted to spring away. McLean came limping to the
scene from the direction of the doctor's quarters just as Miss Forrest,
too, appeared, and him Lachlan addressed:

"I found her rummaging in the bureau, sir."

And then Miss Forrest's quiet voice was heard as s