“And you actually believed all this of me?”

“Why,” bewildered, “he was a soldier, and my father’s friend.  How could I imagine he would run without cause?  His story sounded true, as he told it, and he was hurt.”

“He must have got that when he fell—­his head struck something.  And is that all?”

“Yes; only we talked about how he might get away.  He was here until father came for me, and then stepped into the other room.  When I came back, he had gone.  A little later I heard you searching the rooms, and went out into the hall believing it might be he.”

“You saw nothing more of him?”

“No.”

“Nor of the man you mistook for a guard?”

She shook her head positively.

“Only the once.”  Then, after hesitating, her eyes uplifted to mine.”  Lieutenant Galesworth, you did not encounter Captain Le Gaire alive in the hall?”

“I never saw him alive after he ran from the field.  The noise you heard was when I tripped and fell, my revolver dropping to the floor.  It was then I discovered his dead body.  You will believe this?”

“Yes,” and she extended her hand.  “I have been very wrong; you must forgive me.  But how could he have been killed?  Who could have had a motive?”

“Had Le Gaire no enemies?”

“Not to my knowledge.  I know little of his life, yet surely there could be no one here—­in this house—­who would deliberately seek to kill him.  No one would have opportunity except one of your own men.”

I confess it appeared that way to me also, and the fact only served to make the mystery more baffling.  I knew personally every soldier under my command, and was certain no man among them had ever so much as seen Le Gaire previous to the night before.  They could have no reason to attempt his life, no grudge against him.  Yet every Confederate was under guard, and the fellow Billie had seen in the hall wore our uniform, even to the detached buttons—­she had noted that.  If the man had been on guard, merely performing his military duty, there would have been no secrecy; he would have reported the affair long before this.  But Le Gaire had been murdered, treacherously killed, without doubt struck from behind, and there must be some reason, some cause for the act.

“I understand this no better than you,” I admitted finally.  “I shall have the house thoroughly searched, and every one of my men examined.  But I am afraid we shall be obliged to leave before the mystery is solved.  Hear those guns!  It almost seems as though the fighting was already within sight of the house.”  I stepped across to the window and looked out.  “However it is all to the north and east, and there is still opportunity for us to get safely away into the ravine.  I cannot understand why our forces have not taken advantage of it—­in that way they could have struck the enemy a stunning blow on the left.  There’s a blunder somewhere.  But we can hold the house no longer; only before I go I must know that you believe in me.”