“Mr. Hayne,” she said, impulsively, “a woman’s intuition is not always at fault.  Tell me if you believe that any one on the post has any inkling of the truth.  I have a reason for asking.”

“I did think it possible, Mrs. Waldron.  I cannot be certain now; and it’s too late, anyway.”

“How, too late?  What’s too late?”

He paused a moment, a deeper shadow than usual on his face; then he lifted his head and looked fairly at her: 

“I should not have said that, Mrs. Waldron.  It can never be too late.  But what I mean is that—­just now I spoke of offering no woman a clouded name.  Even if it were unclouded, I could not offer it where I would.”

“Because you have heard of the engagement?” was the quick, eager question.  There was no instant of doubt in the woman as to where the offering would be made, if it only could.

“I knew of the engagement only a day ago,” he answered, with stern effort at self-control.  “Blake was speaking of her, and it came out all of a sudden.”

He turned his head away again.  It was more than Mrs. Waldron could stand.  She leaned impetuously towards him, and put her hand on his: 

“Mr. Hayne, that is no engagement of heart to heart.  It is entirely a thing of Mrs. Rayner’s doing; and I know it.  She is poor,—­dependent,—­and has been simply sold into bondage.”

“And you think she cares nothing for the position, the wealth and social advantages, this would give her?  Ah, Mrs. Waldron, consider.”

“I have considered.  Mr. Hayne, if I were a man, like you, that child should never go back to him.  And they are going next week.  You must get well.”

It was remarked that Mr. Hayne was out surprisingly quick for a fellow who had been so recently threatened with brain-fever.  The Rayners were to go East at once, so it was said, though the captain’s leave of absence had not yet been ordered.  The colonel could grant him seven days at any time, and he had telegraphic notification that there would be no objection when the formal application reached the War Department.  Rayner called at the colonel’s office and asked that he might be permitted to start with his wife and sister.  His second lieutenant would move in and occupy his quarters and take care of all his personal effects during their absence; and Lieutenant Hayne was a most thorough officer, and he felt that in turning over his company to him he left it in excellent hands.  The colonel saw the misery in the captain’s face, and he was touched by both looks and words: 

“You must not take this last affair too much to heart, Captain Rayner.  We in the ——­th have known Captain Buxton so many years that with us there is no question as to where all the blame lies.  It seems, too, to be clearly understood by Mr. Hayne.  As for your previous ideas of that officer, I consider it too delicate a matter to speak of.  You must see, however, how entirely beyond reproach his general character appears to have been.  But here’s another matter:  Clancy’s discharge has arrived.  Does the old fellow know you had requested it?”