riumphant. He had roused the two
stable orderlies. They would open up in a minute. They did, with much
blinking of eyes and some demur, but stood abashed when the burly major
strode in, big Jim Ennis at his heels. The latter hesitated not one
second. His weight went in with the battering ram of that muscular leg
and massive foot, and the sergeant's door flew open before them. The
room was empty. Fitzroy and Fitzroy's furs were gone. Nor was that all.
Snatching a stable lantern from the hand of one of the shaking grooms,
Ennis swung it high aloft. Two empty stalls stood close at hand.

"I thought so," said he, then grabbed the nearest orderly by the coat
collar. "Who took Lieutenant Foster's sleigh and team," demanded he,
"and how long ago?"

"Sergeant Fitzroy, sir," came the answer, with a doleful whine, "just
before the third relief, at half-past eleven."

"No time to see the colonel now!" said Ennis. "Major Stannard, I've got
to gallop into town, but a dozen men, if need be, should trail that
sleigh."

"Go it, boy," was the instant answer, "and I'm behind you."

X

On the principle that disaster ever demands its victim, the sentry of
the second relief--the immediate predecessor of the soldier now on post
at the north line of the stables--was stirred up at once and ordered to
explain. Even as Stannard was hastening the movements of the men
detailed to mount and trail the Foster team, even as Ennis was galloping
town-ward on a mission of his own, Captain Langley, of the Infantry,
officer-of-the-day, began his stern examination of the luckless
guardian.

Orders are orders. Even a stable sergeant could not take or send an
animal out at night (except the building stood in danger of destruction
by flood, fire, or tornado) save on written order of a commissioned
officer and in presence of the corporal-of-the-guard, and Stoner, the
sentry of the second relief, admitted he knew these were the orders, but
"the fellers" had never supposed they applied to Sergeant Fitzroy, who
did pretty much as he pleased. In fact, Fitzroy hitched up and drove
away without so much as a word to him. He, the sentry, was too little
surprised to think of ordering "Halt." Even as Langley drew from him the
admission, the word came up that the squad had started hot foot on the
trail. It led straight away to town.

And the stable orderlies had sworn that Fitzroy started alone.
Therefore, unless Dora Mayhew had circled the fort and join