ng to go thither, could not go at all. His arrest forbade it, and
he was asking himself what might be his course were his arrest to end,
for a rumor was current at the post that a separation was
threatened--that Captain and Mrs. Dwight were certainly estranged. There
were those who considered it most indelicate under the circumstances
that an unmarried woman should appear upon the scene even as a reader to
an aging and broken man. Perhaps it was, but the doctor smiled approval.
The colonel said "Go ahead." Mrs. Ray considered her niece quite old
enough to judge for herself. Mrs. Dwight declared it angelic, and
Priscilla said nothing at all. Priscilla, who had been prone to speak on
slight reflection, had become as silent or secretive as she had once
been censorious, for never once had she mentioned to her aunt, never yet
had she made known to Sandy, that she had heard the strange words which,
with returning consciousness, Inez, the wife of Oswald Dwight, had
murmured looking up into the pallid face of Sanford Ray. Yet Ray knew,
and soon Inez, that Priscilla had heard and not forgotten.

It had so happened the day of that memorable drive and catastrophe that
Sandy Ray, dismounting to the aid of Mrs. Dwight, whose slender and
lovely form lay huddled by the roadside, while Priscilla and the ponies
started on their circuit, had given no thought to his own steed, which
fact enabled that inconsiderate brute to trot away homeward. Then when
Inez came to herself (though not to her senses, else would she have said
such shocking things when Priscilla was within earshot?) there arose a
question of transportation. It was only four miles to the fort, but in
his still somewhat crippled condition that was far for Sandy to walk. It
was characteristic of Priscilla that she should promptly suggest her
driving Mrs. Dwight home at once; then, if need be, sending Hogan back
with the horse. Priscilla herself was a famous pedestrian, priding
herself on sometimes "footing" it to and from town, but never once did
Priscilla now suggest that Sandy drive Mrs. Dwight or Mrs. Dwight drive
Sandy. Priscilla, indeed, behaved with some little asperity as well as
impatience when she assured Mrs. Dwight that she had the ponies now
under complete control, and all Mrs. Dwight had to do was to get in at
once. But this required Sandy's aid and encircling arm. Then when Inez
was fairly in her reclining seat, she could not release the hand. "But
surely _you_ are