e new imprints of
masculine thumb and fingers, and on the sill of the hall window is a
footprint that I know to be other than Jerrold's."

"Why?"

"Because he doesn't own such a thing as this track was made with, and I
don't know a man in this command who does. It was the handiwork of the
Tonto Apaches, and came from the other side of the continent."

"You mean it was--?"

"Exactly. An Indian moccasin."

Meantime, Mr. Jerrold had been making hurried preparations, as he had
fully determined that at any cost he would go with the regiment. He had
been burning a number of letters, when Captain Armitage knocked and
hurriedly entered. Jerrold pushed forward a chair and plunged at once
into the matter at issue:

"There is no time to waste, captain. I have sent to you to ask what I
can do to be released from arrest and permitted to go with the command."

"Answer the questions I put to you the other night, and certify to your
answers; and of course you'll have to apologize to Captain Chester for
your last night's language."

"That of course; though you will admit it looked like spying. Now let me
ask you, did he tell you who the lady was?"

"No. I told him."

"How did you know?"

"By intuition, and my knowledge of previous circumstances."

"We have no time to discuss it. I make no attempt to conceal it now; but
I ask that, on your honor, neither you nor he reveal it."

"And continue to let the garrison believe that you were in Miss
Renwick's room that ghastly night?" asked Armitage, dryly.

Jerrold flushed: "I have denied that, and I would have proved my _alibi_
could I have done so without betraying a woman's secret. Must I tell?"

"So far as I am concerned, Mr. Jerrold," said Armitage, with cold and
relentless meaning, "you not only must tell--you must _prove_--both that
night's doings and Saturday night's,--both that and how you obtained
that photograph."

"My God! In one case it is a woman's name; in the other I have promised
on honor not to reveal it."

"That ends it, then. You remain here in close arrest, and the charges
against you will be pushed to the bitter end. I will write them this
very hour."

XVI.

At ten o'clock that morning, shortly after a smiling interview with the
ladies of Fort Sibley, in which, with infinite spirit and the most
perfect self-control, Miss Beaubien had informed them that she had
promised to lead with Mr. Jerrold, and, since he was in duress, she
would lead wi