face, and outline her figure. She was breathing heavily and trembling
with excitement, her voice barely audible.

"You--you heard what was said in there?" she asked, eager to gain time.
"You know Captain Le Gaire has returned?"

"Yes," thinking to calm her by an appearance of coolness. "He seems to
be a most blood-thirsty individual."

"He was angry at being deceived. No one can blame him, but I simply had
to tantalize him in order to get him away."

"Was that it? Do you mean so you might come here to me?"

"Why, of course. I had promised you. Do you think I would demean myself
by lying--to a Yank? Besides," her voice faltered, "you would have kept
your parole, and--and--"

"Waited here to be hung, probably," I broke in, "as that ceremony
appears to be part of the programme. My only hope was that you might
possibly object to this item of entertainment."

"Don't laugh," soberly. "There is no fun in it for me."

"Then you would show mercy even to a Yankee spy?"

"I am not sure of that. I am a Rebel, but that has no serious weight
now. You are not a spy; if you have acted as one, it has been more
through my fault than your own. Besides you are my prisoner, and if I
should permit you to fall into the hands of those men, to be condemned