his
strange house.

Slipping his pistol from his belt, he opened the door on noiseless
hinges and stepped into the hall. A figure was disappearing in its dim
space, but, as he saw clearly, it was that of a woman. He was sure that
it was Miss Woodville and he stepped forward. He had no intention
of following her, but his foot creaked on the floor, and, stopping
instantly, she faced about. Then he saw that she carried a tray of food.

"Are we to have our house occupied and to be spied upon also?" she
asked.

Dick flushed. Few people had ever spoken to him in such a manner, and it
was hard to remember that she was a woman.

"I heard a footstep in the hall, and it was my duty to see who was
passing," he said.

"I have prepared food and I am taking it to my father. He would not
accept it from Yankee hands."

"Colonel Woodville sups late. I should think a wounded man would be
asleep at this hour, if he could."

She gave him a glance full of venom.

"What does it matter?" she said.

Dick refused to be insulted.

"Let me take the tray for you," he said, "at least to the door. Your
father need not know that my hands have touched it."

She shrank back and her eyes blazed.

"Let us alone!" she exclaimed. "Go back to your room! Isn't it
sufficient that this house shelters you?"

She seemed to Dick to show a heat and hate out of all proportion to the
occasion, but he did not repeat the offer.

"I meant well," he said, "but, since you do not care for my help, I'll
return to my room and go to sleep. Believe me, I'm sincere when I say I
hope your father will recover quickly from his wound."

"He will," she replied briefly.

Dick bowed with politeness and turned toward his own room. Nevertheless
his curiosity did not keep him from standing a moment or two in the dark
against the wall and looking back at the woman who bore the tray.
He drew a long breath of astonishment when he saw her pass Colonel
Woodville's door, and hurry forward now with footsteps that made no
sound.

The suspicion which had lain deep in his mind sprang at once into life.
Keeping close to the wall, he followed swiftly and saw her disappear up
a stairway. There he let the pursuit end and returned thoughtfully to
his room.

Dick was much troubled. An ethical question had presented itself to him.
He believed that he had divined everything. The solution had come to him
with such suddenness and force that he was as fully convinced as if he
had s