"Not in the least, my friend. But there are indignities a captor can
show to his prisoner which no true gentleman would ever be guilty of
and no soldier would forgive."

I could see in the torch-light his face flush with sudden indignation.

"You are right," he returned heartily, "and from my knowledge of
Brennan I can understand your meaning. What business has such a man to
possess a wife?"

Perhaps he felt that he had already said too much, for we tramped on in
silence until we drew near a large, square white building standing
directly beside the road.

"This is the old Culverton tavern, known as the Mansion House," he
said. "It is a tremendous big building for this country, with as fine a
ballroom in it as I have seen since leaving New York. We utilize it for
almost every military purpose, and among others some of the strong
rooms in the basement are found valuable for the safe-keeping of
important prisoners."

We mounted the front steps as he was speaking, passing through a cordon
of guards, and in the wide hallway I was turned over to the officer in
charge.

"Good-night, Captain," said Caton, kindly extending his hand. "You may
rest assured that I shall say all I can in your favor, but it is to be
regretted that Brennan has great influence just now at headquarters,
and Sheridan is not a man to lightly overlook those hasty words you
spoke to him."