ed as he read, and Mrs. Sumter exclaimed over another, and for
the first time in a week sounds of cheer arose in that little home.
Presently Mrs. Stannard read aloud a spirited, stirring paragraph,
describing a dash led by Lieutenant Lanier, and then Sumter made a swoop
for all three pages and said, "The quicker Button can see these the
sooner he'll come to his senses," and begging pardon for the rudeness,
took the papers and his leave and almost collided with Kate, who at
sound of the name and the glad ring of the voices had crept down-stairs
for the news.

And so she had to come in and see Mrs. Stannard, and hear some few at
least of the details of Dora Mayhew's romantic, runaway marriage, and
while they were being told tattoo was sounded, and then Mrs. Stannard
asked if she might not creep up-stairs and see Miriam; she thought she
might cheer her a bit. This left mother and daughter alone together, and
again, and even more painfully, Mrs. Sumter noted how sad and
unresponsive was Kate at mention of Lanier.

It must have been nearly an hour later when Sumter came hurriedly in,
threw his furs off in the hall, and with troubled face re-entered the
parlor. His wife rose instantly, laid her head upon his arm, and asked,
"What has happened?"

"A scene the like of which I never thought to hear of in this regiment.
We had adjourned to the office. Snaffle had been drinking a bit and got
angered and flustered when Riggs cross-examined him. One thing led to
another, and finally in exasperation he blurted out, 'I'm sick of being
called the accuser of Mr. Lanier. By God, I've defended him! I've hidden
worse things than ever I told you yet, and now I'll stand it no longer!
You twit me with spying and slandering. Then by all that's holy, you
shall say here and now who's the better man. 'T was Lieutenant Lanier
himself that leapt from the window this night a week ago--the back upper
window of Sumter's quarters. That's how his hand was cut and torn, and
I've got three men that'll swear to it!'"

He broke off suddenly, for Kate had turned, flung herself from the room
and into the arms of Mrs. Stannard. One long look into the sorrowful
eyes of his wife, and Sumter quickly followed, and drew the sobbing girl
from those kind arms into his own.

"My child, my child," he said, "surely you did not _see_ him?"

"No! No! No!" was the instant answer. "No!" again she sobbed.

"Then tell me what it means, Kate, daughter. It is--I demand i