halted her, and at the same time made her sure that she had not lost her
way.

"Who goes there?" called the sentry.

"I've lost my way," said Bessie, trusting to her voice to make him
understand that she was not to be driven away. "Is this the fort? I'd
like to see some officer, if you please."

"Wait there! I'll pass the word," said the sentry.

And in a few minutes a young lieutenant came toward her.

"Bless my soul!" he said, "What are you doing here, young lady! Come
with me--you can explain inside."

And, once inside the fort, the first person she saw was Charlie
Jamieson!

CHAPTER XIV

AT THE FORT

"Bessie King!" he exclaimed amazed. "What on earth, are you doing here?
And where is Trenwith?"

"I don't know," said Bessie. She felt safe and for a moment she was on
the verge of collapsing completely. But then she remembered that not her
own fate alone, but that of the others whom she loved and who had been
so good to her depended upon her. And, in a few quick words, she told
the story of the accident to the _Columbia_, with the treachery of
Billy Trenwith and the subsequent appearance of Holmes and his men.

"There you are, gentlemen!" said Jamieson, turning to the little group
of men in uniform, who, tremendously interested, had listened intently
to all that Bessie had said. "You laughed at me--you insisted that the
sort of thing I told you about wasn't possible--that it simply couldn't
happen in this country, and in this time. What do you think now?"

"I guess it's one on us," said one of the officers, with a reluctant
laugh. "But, really, Jamieson, you can't blame us much, can you? It's
pretty incredible, even now."

"I'm bothered about Trenwith, though," said Charlie. "Something has gone
wrong."

"Miss Mercer is perfectly sure that he is in league with Mr. Holmes,"
said Bessie. "Do you think that's so, Mr. Jamieson?"

"I hope not," said Charlie, soberly. "I've found out one thing lately
though, Bessie;--that when there is money involved, you can never tell
what is going to happen."

"Did you know we were here--how did you fold out?"

"No questions just now! It's time something was being done. Tell me, can
you take me to this house, and show me how to get in!"

"Yes, I think I can find my way back through the woods."

"No need of that," said one of the officers. "There's a road that leads
right to that place. What's Holmes doing there, anyhow? It isn't his
place. It belongs to som