t of yielding.

On the second day of the great cold all the Harleys came over to take
tea with Mrs. Prescott and her son, and then Helen disclosed the fact
that the Government was still assiduous in its search for the spy and
the lost documents.

"Mr. Sefton thinks that we have a clue," she said, identifying herself
with the Government now by the use of the pronoun.

Prescott was startled a little, but he hid his surprise under a calm
voice when he asked:

"What is this clue, or is it a secret?"

"No, not among us who are so loyal to the cause," she replied
innocently; "and it may be that they want it known more widely because
here in Richmond we are all, in a way, defenders of the faith--our
faith. They say that it was a woman who stole the papers, a tall woman
in a brown dress and brown cloak, who entered the building when nearly
everybody was gone to the Morgan reception. Mr. Sefton has learned that
much from one of the servants."

"Has he learned anything more?" asked Prescott, whose heart was beating
in a way that he did not like.

"No, the traces stop at that point; but Mr. Sefton believes she will be
found. He says she could not have escaped from the city."

"It takes a man like Sefton to follow the trail of a woman," interrupted
Colonel Harley. "If it were not for the papers she has I'd say let her
go."

Prescott had a sudden feeling of warmth for Vincent Harley, and he now
believed a good heart to beat under the man's vain nature; but that was
to be expected: he was Helen Harley's brother. However, it did not
appeal to Helen that way.

"Shouldn't a woman who does such things suffer punishment like a man?"
she asked.

"Maybe so," replied the Colonel, "but I couldn't inflict it."

The elder Harley advanced no opinion, but he was sure whatever Mr.
Sefton did in the matter was right; and he believed, too, that the agile
Secretary was more capable than any other man of dealing with the case.
In fact, he was filled that day with a devout admiration of Mr. Sefton,
and he did not hesitate to proclaim it, bending covert glances at his
daughter as he pronounced these praises. Mr. Sefton, he said, might
differ a little in certain characteristics from the majority of the
Southern people, he might be a trifle shrewder in financial affairs,
but, after all, the world must come to that view, and hard-headed men
such as he would be of great value when the new Southern Republic began
its permanent establishment a