For over an hour she sat by the colonel's side, but he made no further
efforts to speak. In the meantime a surgeon came in to attend to the
officer's wound.

"If you can have him taken to my house, I will see to it that he has the
best of care," said Mrs. Ruthven.

"Why, are you not a Southern woman, madam?" questioned the surgeon, in
pardonable surprise.

"I am, but I know Colonel Stanton, and do not wish to see him suffer any
more than is necessary."

"He is a friend?"

"Something of a friend, yes."

"And who are you, if I may ask?"

"I am Mrs. Alice Ruthven, owner of the plantation half a mile from here.
Dr. Harry Powell, whom you may know, is my nephew."

"I know Dr. Powell well, and if he says it is all right, I'll have
Colonel Stanton removed to your home without delay."

"When will you see Dr. Powell?"

"To-day. This is not a nice place, and I would like to see the colonel
have better quarters."

A little later Mrs. Ruthven left and drove home with all speed.

"Marion, I have wonderful news!" she exclaimed, on entering the room
where the girl sat making bandages for the wounded soldiers.

"What is it, mamma; is Jack found?"

"No, but I am almost sure that I have found Jack's father?"

"Oh, mamma! Of course you don't mean that horrid Dr. Mackey?"

"No, I mean Colonel Stanton."

"Mamma!" And Marion leaped up, scattering the bandages in all
directions.

"Did you ever notice how much Jack and the colonel resembled each
other?"

"I did."

"The colonel is in a fever, and while I was there he cried out about a
shipwreck, and asked that his wife Laura and his son Jack be saved."

"Didn't you always think Jack's mother was named Laura?"

"I did--although I wasn't sure."

"But why didn't he come to claim Jack?"

"That's the mystery. I have asked that the colonel be brought here, and
as soon as he is well enough to stand being questioned I am going to
learn the truth of the matter."

"I hope he is Jack's father," murmured Marion. "But if so, what of Dr.
Mackey?"

"That's another mystery."

"He must know something of the colonel's past."

"Undoubtedly."

"I wonder if the two ever met in this vicinity?"

"There is no telling. I am impatient to question the colonel. But of
course nothing can be done until he is better and in his right mind."

That evening there was the rattle of wagon-wheels on the gravel road
leading up to the Ruthven mansion, and, looking out, Marion and her
mothe