only rare, and not only
proves that Eli Tregarthen is a good man, but persuades me that, being
in trouble, he has told his wife."

"You are reasoning beyond my depths," said the Commandant. "But it all
sounds admirably wise, and I grant it. What next?"

"Why, if Eli has told her, she will be in trouble to-day and I must go
to her."

"To Saaron? This morning?"

"To Saaron, certainly; but not this morning, if you are engaged."

"To tell the truth I had meant to go to church; that is, if you can
spare me."

Simple man that he was, he had meant--having a load to lift presently
off his conscience--to receive and be confirmed by the Sacrament. "Ye
that do truly and earnestly repent"--the words had been in his ears at
the moment when he took his resolve. Hopeless though the prospect might
be, he steadfastly intended to lead a new life.

"My friend," said Vashti. "I am contrite enough already for the amount
of your time I have wasted. We will put off our voyage until the
evening."

He smiled wryly, remembering how she had asked, "For what work do they
pay you?"

But Vashti having decided upon an evening expedition, would not listen
to his offer to sacrifice his church-going; and so to church he went,
and confirmed himself, and remained to take the Sacrament on his new
resolution.

Now whether or not he would have remained could he have divined what
was happening on Garrison Hill I have no wish--as it would be
indecent--to inquire.

But let us go back to Miss Gabriel.

* * * * *

Miss Gabriel, all the previous day, had been suffering from a sense of
defeat, and at the hands of an enemy she had fallen into the habit of
despising. A woman (or a man, for that matter) of Miss Gabriel's temper
sees the world peopled with antagonists, and (perhaps fortunately for
her _amour propre_) cannot see that her occasional victor is not only
quite indifferent to his victory but has very possibly succeeded on the
mere strength of not caring two pins about it, or even on the mere
strength of not knowing that there was any fight going on. Such
insouciance would have galled Miss Gabriel past endurance had it not,
mercifully, lain outside her range of apprehension. As it was, she felt
that the Commandant had taken her easily, at a disadvantage, and routed
her--horse, foot, artillery, baggage.

And at the moment she had collapsed without a struggle. There lay the
sting. She had meekly throw