retire, and never again showed himself in
general society until the engineer with the scientific attainments as a
boxer as well as road-builder was safely out of the post.

And yet there came a day very soon when Mr. Hayne wished that he could
go to Buxton's quarters. He had in no wise changed his opinion of the
man himself, but the Rayners had not been gone a fortnight before Mrs.
Buxton began to tell the ladies of the charming letters she was
receiving from Mrs. Rayner,--all about their travels. There were many
things he longed to know, yet could not ask.

There came to him a long and sorrowful letter from the captain himself,
but, beyond a few matters relating to the company and the transfer of
its property, it was all given up to a recapitulation of the troubles of
the past few years and to renewed expressions of his deep regret. Of the
ladies he made but casual mention. They were journeying down the
Mississippi on one of its big steamers when he wrote, and Mrs. Rayner
was able to enjoy the novelties of the trip, and was getting better, but
still required careful nursing. Miss Travers was devoted to her. They
would go to New Orleans, then possibly by sea around to New York,
arriving there about the 5th of June: that, however, was undecided. He
closed by asking Hayne to remind Major Waldron that his copy of Clancy's
confession had not yet reached him, and he was anxious to see it in
full.

"The one thing lacking to complete the chain is Gower," said the major,
as he looked up over his spectacles. "It would be difficult to tell what
became of him. We get tidings of most of the deserters who were as
prominent among the men as he appears to have been; but I have made
inquiry, and so has the colonel, and not a word has ever been heard of
him since the night he appeared before Mrs. Clancy and handed over the
money to her. He was a strange character, from all accounts, and must
have had some conscience, after all. Do you remember him at all, Hayne?"

"I remember him well. We made the march from the Big Horn over to Battle
Butte together, and he was a soldier one could not help remarking. Of
course I never had anything to say to him; but we heard he was an expert
gambler when the troop was over there at Miners' Delight."

"Of course his testimony isn't necessary. Clancy and his wife between
them have cleared you, after burying you alive five years. But nothing
but his story could explain his singular conduct,--planning