eased on honor. Damned if I believe there's another man in
Confederate uniform who would be guilty of so scurvy a trick. Were you
hurt, Galesworth?"

"No, the ball struck my revolver case, and made me sick for a moment."

"No fault of Le Gaire's--the noise of the horses shattered his aim.
Lord! how I despise such a cowardly whelp!"

He flung the man from him so violently he fell to his knees on the
ground. The look of amazement on Le Gaire's face, his utter inability to
comprehend the meaning of it all, or why he had thus aroused the enmity
of his brother officers, gave me a sudden feeling of compassion. I
stepped toward him. Perhaps he mistook my purpose, for he staggered
partially erect.

"Damn you!" he yelled. "I'm fighting yet!" and flung the unloaded
derringer with all the force of his arm at my face.

CHAPTER XXVI

MISS WILLIFRED SURPRISES US

The butt struck me fairly, and I went down as though felled by an ax. If
I lost consciousness it could have been for scarcely more than a moment,
but blood streamed into my eyes, and my head reeled giddily. Yet I knew
something of what occurred, heard voices, caught dimly the movement of
figures. Le Gaire ran, rounding the end of the stable, and Hardy,
swearing like a trooper, clutching at his empty belt for a weapon, made
an effort to follow. Bell sprang to me, lifting my head, and his face
looked as white as a woman's. He appeared so frightened I endeavored to
smile at him, and it must have been a ghastly effort. My voice, however,
proved more reassuring.

"I'm all right," I insisted thickly. "Just tapped a little. I--I wasn't
looking for anything like that."

"I should say not. Here, can you sit up? By Heavens! I hope Hardy
catches him."

"He hardly will," I answered, struggling into sitting posture, a vision
of the chase recurring to mind. "He was too mad to run."

Bell laughed nervously.

"I never supposed Le Gaire was that kind of a cur," he said regretfully.
"I never liked the fellow, or had much to do with him. Blamed if I could
understand why Miss Hardy--"

"Oh, he played nice enough with her up until the last week at least," I
broke in, aroused by the name. "Le Gaire is good looking, and pleasant
also when things are going his way. It's when luck is against him that
he gets ugly. Besides, he had the major on his side."

"I happen to know something about that," returned Bell dryly. "It was
talked over at headquarters. Le Gaire is rich, and Hard