father from where she stood in
the shelter of his arm.

"Daddy," she questioned, in a small, puzzled voice, "what are they going
to do?"

"S-s-s-h," her father commanded as he patted her head comfortingly.
"Everything will be all right, honey, I'm sure." But he had caught
enough of the Corporal's altercation with Trooper O'Connell to make him
see that things were very far from being what he wanted Virgie to
suppose.

"Ye'd better be careful now," O'Connell said to Dudley. "Ye know well
that if the pass is all right ye'll be getting yerself into a peck o'
trouble."

"It isn't _me_ that'll get in trouble," Dudley answered, with grim
triumph. "It's someone else."

"Faith, then, _who_?" was the query.

"_Morrison_," snapped Dudley, with an ominous click of his teeth.

"The Colonel? Why?"

"_Because he helped this spy escape!_ that's why. He killed my brother,
shot him. Shot him down like a dog. But now I'm even with him."

He shook the pass under the trooper's nose and crowed with satisfaction.

"I've been waiting for a chance like this," he chortled, "and now I'm
going to make him sweat--sweat blood."

"Don't be a fool, Corporal," the trooper counseled. "What'll ye be after
doin'?"

"_Report him, at headquarters_--for helping a spy escape! If I have the
man and _this_," and he slapped the paper, "it'll mean his sword and
shoulder straps--if not a bullet! Come on!"

He turned away, to scramble over the wall, but Trooper O'Connell caught
his arm.

"Hold on! Ye may get in trouble."

In answer Dudley broke away and doggedly kept on towards the stone wall
and the road. "Keep off," he snarled. "_I'm_ running this."

"I know ye are," the trooper replied, "but wait," and he pointed to the
rear. "Don't forgit that the Colonel's out yonder reconnoiterin'. If he
happened to overtake ye on the road--"

Struck with the sudden thought Dudley paused. "Well, that's so," he
growled as he saw how easily he could be held for disobeying orders and
how quickly all his plans for vengeance could be smashed. He stood still
for a moment gnawing his lip, then suddenly struck his doubled fist into
the palm of the other hand.

"Then you stay here to guard the prisoner," he said. "I'll cut through
the woods--make my report--come back with the horses--and my authority."

"Here, Smith! You and Judson come along with me. Never mind the grub.
We'll get that later."

Turning to O'Connell, "If you hear anyone coming, take those t