despatch was verbal."

"Had it been delivered?"

"I so understood him."

"Well, how did he account to you for being where he was found?"

Brennan hesitated, and glanced uneasily toward me. Like a flash the
thought came that the man was striving to keep her name entirely out of
sight: he did not wish her presence mentioned.

"There was no explanation attempted," he said finally. "He seemed
simply to be hiding there."

"Alone?"

Again I caught his eyes, and it almost seemed that I read entreaty in
them.

"Excepting the wife of the mountaineer," he answered hoarsely.

"Is this true?" asked Sheridan, his stern face fronting me.

I made my decision instantly. There might be some reason, possibly her
own request, whereby her being alone with me that night should remain
untold. Very well, it would never be borne to other ears through any
failure of my lips to guard the secret. She had voluntarily pledged
herself to go to Sheridan in my defence; until she did so, her secret,
if secret indeed it was, should remain safe with me. I could do no less