ose? Did she come out with the Suttons?"

"Why, certainly. I thought you knew that."

"And neither old Madame Beaubien nor Mrs. Sutton with them? What was the
old squaw thinking of?"

By this time they had neared the guard-house, where several of the men
were seated awaiting the call for the next relief. All arose at the
shout of the sentry on Number One, turning out the guard for the officer
of the day. Chester made hurried and impatient acknowledgment of the
salute, and called to the sergeant to send him the sentry who was at the
bridge at one o'clock. It turned out to be a young soldier who had
enlisted at the post only six months before and was already known as one
of the most intelligent and promising candidates for a corporalship in
the garrison.

"Were you on duty at the bridge at one o'clock, Carey?" asked the
captain.

"I was, sir. My relief went on at 11.45 and came off at 1.45."

"What persons passed your post during that time?"

"There was a squad or two of men coming back from town on pass. I halted
them, sir, and Corporal Murray came down and passed them in."

"I don't mean coming from town. Who went the other way?"

"Only one carriage, sir,--Mr. Sutton's."

"Could you see who were in it?"

"Certainly, sir: it was right under the lamp-post this end of the bridge
that I stood when I challenged. Lieutenant Rollins answered for them and
passed them out. He was sitting beside Mr. Sutton as they drove up, then
jumped out and gave me the countersign and bade them good-night right
there."

"Rollins again," thought Chester. "Why did he keep this from me?"

"Who were in the carriage?" he asked.

"Mr. Sutton, sir, on the front seat, driving, and two young ladies on
the back seat."

"Nobody else?"

"Not a soul, sir. I could see in it plain as day. One lady was Miss
Sutton, and the other Miss Beaubien. I know I was surprised at seeing
the latter, because she drove home in her own carriage last evening
right after parade. I was on post there at that hour too, sir. The
second relief is on from 5.45 to 7.45."

"That will do, Carey. I see your relief is forming now."

As the officers walked away and Sloat silently plodded along beside his
dark-browed senior, the latter turned to him:

"I should say that there was no way in which Mr. Jerrold could have gone
townwards last night. Should not you?"

"He might have crossed the bridge while the third relief was on, and
got a horse at the other side."