in all his prospects--resignation from the
service, serious illness, possibly permanently impaired health, and then
of suffering and want. A foul accusation had been trumped up against
him by enemies in the regiment; he was alleged to have stolen letters
belonging to officers. In part it was true. He had bribed a servant to
get those three letters which he sent her, that she might be saved from
the fate that he dreaded for her. It was for her sake he had sinned; and
now he implored her to keep his secret, and to return to him all his
letters on that subject, as well as those he had sent as proofs. He dare
not trust them to the mails, but a faithful friend, though a poor man
like himself, would come with a note from him, and he would be a trusty
bearer. The friend had come but the morning of Abbot's arrival. He
humbly rang at the basement door; sent up a note; and, recognizing
Hollins's writing, she had gone down and questioned him. He sadly told
her that the quartermaster was in great trouble. "His enemies had
conspired against him;" his money accounts were involved, and there lay
the great difficulty. Mr. Hollins would never forgive him, said the man,
if he knew he was hinting at such a thing, but what he needed to help
him out of his trouble was money. It made her suspicious, but she reread
the note. "He is devoted to me, and perfectly reliable. I have cared
for him and his sister from childhood. Do not fear to trust the letters,
or anything you may write, to him."

Mr. Hollins was too proud ever to ask for money and could not
contemplate the possibility of its being asked in his behalf, she
argued. But if anything she might write was to be trusted to the
messenger, surely she could trust his statements, and so she questioned
eagerly. The bearer thought a thousand dollars might be enough to
straighten everything, and she bade him be at the front of the house
that night by half after ten, to bring her a little packet he spoke of
as having received from Hollins--her own letters to him--and the money
would be ready. There was something about the man's face and carriage
that was familiar. She could not tell where she had seen him, but felt
sure that she had, and it seemed to her that it was in uniform. But he
denied having ever been in service, and seemed to shrink into shadow as
though alarmed at the idea. During the day she got the money from the
bank and gave it, as Abbot saw, and then when the telegram came it all
fla