es."

He looked at her with a twinkle playing around the corner of his eyes as
he slowly rose:

"Send Phoebe in for the check."

"Ring for her, please."

He pulled the old-fashioned red cord vigorously, walked back to the
lounge, put his hands in his pockets and looked at his wife in a comical
way.

"Mother," he said at last, "you're a very subtle woman. You'd make a
great diplomat if you didn't talk quite so much."

CHAPTER XIX

THE REBEL

While Betty Winter was still brooding in angry resentment over the
problem of John Vaughan's guilt in sharing the treason of his Chief, the
army was suddenly swung into the field to contest Lee's invasion of
Maryland.

The daring venture of the Confederate leader had developed with
startling rapidity. The President was elated over the probable
annihilation of his army. He knew that half of them were practically
barefooted and in rags. He also knew that McClellan outnumbered Lee and
Jackson two to one and that the Southerners, no longer on the defensive,
but aggressors, would be at an enormous disadvantage in Maryland
territory.

That Lee was walking into a death trap he was morally sure.

The Confederate leader was not blind to the dangers of his undertaking.
Conditions in the South practically forced the step. It was of the
utmost importance that he should have full and accurate information
before his move, and a group of the coolest and bravest young men in his
army were called on to go into Washington as scouts and spies and bring
this report. Men who knew the city were needed.

Among the ten selected for the important mission was Ned Vaughan. He had
been promoted for gallantry on the field at Malvern Hill, and wore the
stripes of a lieutenant. He begged for the privilege of risking his life
in this work and his Colonel could not deny him. He had proven on two
occasions his skill on secret work as a scout before the second battle
of Bull Run. His wide circle of friends in Washington and the utter
change in his personal appearance by the growth of a beard made his
chances of success the best of any man in the group.

He was anxious to render his country the greatest possible service in
such a crisis, but there was another motive of resistless power. He was
mad to see Betty Winter. He knew her too well to believe that if he took
his life in his hand to look into her eyes she could betray him.

His disguise in the uniform of a Federal Captain was perfect, h