Her voice faltered, and Le Gaire laughed.

"Oh, I begin to see how the wind blows. You do stand to your promise
then. Very well, that's all I ask."

"I do not love you; I do not think I even respect you."

"Nevertheless you cannot shake me off like that. It's only a whim, a
mood, Billie; once married I'll teach you the lesson over again. You
were loving enough a month ago."

"I was in the midst of a girl's dream," she said slowly, "from which I
have awakened--won't you release me, Captain Le Gaire?"

"I should say not," walking savagely across the room. "Come, Billie, I'm
tired of this tantrum. A little of this sort of thing goes a long way
with me. You're a headstrong, spoiled girl, and I've already put up with
enough to try the patience of Job. Now I'm going to show my authority,
insist on my rights. You've promised to marry me, now, to-night, and you
are going to do it, if I have to go to your father and tell him plainly
just what is the matter with you."

"With me! the only matter is that I have ceased to care for you."

"Yes, in the last week! Do you think I am blind? Do you suppose I don't
know what has changed your mind so suddenly? Do you imagine I'm going
to let you go for the sake of a damned Yankee?"

She fairly gasped in surprise, her fingers clinched, her cheeks flaming.

"A Yankee! Captain Le Gaire, are you crazy?"

"No," his temper bursting all control. "That's what's the matter with
you. Oh, of course, you'll deny, and pretend to be horrified. I saw into
your little game then, but I kept still; now you are carrying it
too far."

"What do you mean? I am not accustomed to such language."

"I mean this: You think you are in love with that sneaking Yankee spy--I
don't know his name--the fellow you helped through our lines, and then
hid at Moran's. Now don't deny it; I asked some questions before I left
there, and you were with him out under the grape arbor. I saw the
imprint of your feet in the soft dirt. By God, I believe you knew he
struck me, and permitted me to lie there while he got away."

"Captain Le Gaire--"

"Now you wait; this is my turn to talk. You thought you had fooled me,
but you had not. Under other conditions I might accede to your request,
but not now--not to give you over to a Yank. I've got your promise, and
I propose to hold you to it."

"But it is not that," she protested. "I--I am not in love with
Lieutenant Galesworth."

"So that is the fellow's name, is it--Galesw