"

"Yes, mother; I am back again; safe and sound," he answered.

Mrs. Ruthven was soon down and let him in. She was naturally startled to
behold Dr. Mackey, especially as a prisoner.

"What can this mean?" she began, and then looked at Jack curiously.
"Jack, do you know the truth?"

"What truth, mother?"

"That this man is an impostor."

"I have thought so all along. But what do you know of this?"

"Colonel Stanton is here, Jack. He knows Dr. Mackey only too well."

"So I supposed from what this fellow said."

"To you?"

"No, to St. John."

"My dear Mrs. Ruthven, this is all a dreadful mistake," burst in the
surgeon. "I do not know Colonel Stanton at all. I spoke of a Colonel
Stanwood--quite a different person, I can assure you."

"I do not believe you, Dr. Mackey," answered Mrs. Ruthven emphatically.

"You are very hard upon me, madam."

"I think I have a right to be hard upon you, sir. You have tried your
best to rob me of my son."

"But he shan't do it, mother," put in Jack warmly.

"No, Jack, he'll never be able to do that--now," answered Mrs. Ruthven
significantly. And then she added, "See to it, Ben, that he does not get
away. I wish to speak to Jack in private."

"He shan't git away from Old Ben, nohow," answered the faithful negro.

Mrs. Ruthven led Jack into the parlor and closed the door carefully.

"My boy, I have a great surprise for you," she began. "Do you think you
can bear it?"

"What surprise, mother?" he asked quickly.

"Colonel Stanton is here, wounded. He has told me something of his past,
and it concerns you."

"Me?"

"Yes, Jack. You are not Dr. Mackey's son at all, but the son of the
colonel."

"I am Colonel Stanton's son!" gasped our hero, hardly able to frame the
words.

"I knew you would be amazed. But it is true, as he has proved beyond the
shadow of a doubt."

"But--but----" Jack tried to go on, but words failed him. He the son of
the colonel--the son of a Yankee officer? It was something of which he
had never dreamed. Yet, even on the instant, he remembered how much the
colonel had impressed him, and what a gentleman he had thought the
officer.

"I will tell you the story," went on Mrs. Ruthven, and did so. Jack was
all attention, and when he learned the true depth of Dr. Mackey's
villainy his eyes flashed fire.

"Now I understand why he didn't wish to meet Colonel Stanton face to
face," he said. "No wonder he is afraid."

"Your father is sleeping now,"