“She’s perfectly insane,” said Philip; but Harold looked thoughtful and perplexed, and scanned his fellow-officer’s countenance with a searching glance.

“At all events,” he said, “she must not remain here.  My good woman, we are ready now, and you must come with us.  We have a horse for you, and will make you comfortable.  Are you ready?”

“No,” she replied, sullenly, “I won’t go.  I’ll stay with my husband.”

“Nay,” remonstrated Harold, gently, “you cannot stay here.  This is no place for women.  When we arrive at headquarters, you shall tell your story to General McDowell, and he will see that you are taken care of, and have justice if you have been wronged.  But you must not keep us waiting.  We are soldiers, you know, and must do our duty.”

Still, however, she insisted upon remaining where she was; but when two soldiers, at a gesture from Harold, approached and took her gently by the arms, she offered no resistance, and suffered herself to be led quietly out.  Harold coldly saluted Searle, and left him in charge of the post; while himself and party, accompanied by Moll and the coachman who had driven them from Washington, were soon briskly marching toward the camp.

CHAPTER XIX.

Toward dusk of the same day, while Philip and his lieutenant were seated at the rude pine table, conversing after their evening meal, the sergeant of the guard entered with a slip of paper, on which was traced a line in pencil.

“Is the bearer below?” asked Philip, as he cast his eyes over the paper.

“Yes, sir.  He was challenged a minute ago, and answered with the countersign and that slip for you, sir.”

“It’s all right, sergeant; you may send him up.  Mr. Williams,” he continued, to his comrade, “will you please to look about a little and see that all is in order.  I will speak a few words with this messenger.”

The lieutenant and sergeant left the room, and presently afterward there entered, closing the door carefully after him, no less a personage than Seth Rawbon.

“You’re late,” said Philip, motioning him to a chair.

“There’s an old proverb to answer that,” answered Rawbon, as he leisurely adjusted his lank frame upon the seat.  Having established himself to his satisfaction, he continued: 

“I had to make a considerable circuit to avoid the returning picket, who might have bothered me with questions.  I’m in good time, though.  If you’ve made up your mind to go, you’ll do it as well by night, and safer too.”

“What have you learned?”

“Enough to make me welcome at headquarters.  You were right about the battle.  There’ll be tough work soon.  They’re fixing for a general advance.  If you expect to do your first fighting under the stars and bars, you must swear by them to-night.”

“Have you been in Washington?”

“Every nook and corner of it.  They don’t keep their eyes skinned, I fancy, up there.  Your fancy colonels have slippery tongues when the champagne corks are flying.  If they fight as hard as they drink, they’ll give us trouble.  Well, what do you calculate to do?” he added, after a pause, during which Philip was moody and lost in thought.