s he?"

"He is preparing," continued Beauregard, coolly--he had the clew to the
mystery and he determined to follow it to the end--"to be tried by a
court-martial--"

"By a court-martial, General Beauregard! For what, sir?"

"For disobedience of orders and neglect of duty, in the face of the
enemy. And I am in two minds whether to these charges should be added
cowardice and treason or not!"

"Impossible!" exclaimed Fanny Glen.

"Miss Glen, it is an absolute fact. He came to me yesterday afternoon
and volunteered for the command of the expedition. Begged for it, in
fact. Major Lacy reluctantly but generously yielded to him with my
consent."

"It was for me he sought it," said the girl, full of reproach for
herself. "I had mocked him for his lack of distinction, sir, before he
saw you. He hazarded his life for my approval and for the cause of the
South."

A fuller light broke upon the general's mind. He understood all now,
yet he went on pitilessly.

"After getting command in this peculiar way he failed to present
himself on the wharf at the appointed time. We waited ten minutes for
him, as long as we dared, in fact, and then as you know, sent the boat
out under Major Lacy."

"He was detained," said the girl, faintly.

"So he said when I arrested him last night, and he repeated the
statement this morning. I pressed him to tell me by whom and where he
had been detained, but he refused to tell. I plied him with every
argument at my command. I pointed out to him the consequences of his
action, his failure to justify himself, that is, showed him clearly the
penalty which the court-martial would undoubtedly inflict upon him--"

"That is?"

"Death, madam! He will probably be shot to-morrow, for his guilt is
clear."

The girl's head fell forward in her hands. There was a little silence
in the room. The general watched her narrowly, but said nothing
further. He was waiting, in full confidence that she would speak. He
could afford to be patient now.

CHAPTER XII

THE CULPRIT IS ARRESTED

"General Beauregard," she whispered at last, "I am the traitor. He was
detained by me."

"That doesn't excuse him," said the general, severely. "Any man who
fails in his duty because he succumbs to a woman's wiles, even though
that woman loves him, has no plea to urge in justification. He is a
soldier. His duty to obey orders is first of all."

"But--but--you don't understand. I--I--kept him there by force, sir.