Mrs. Rayner stood like one in a dream, her eyes staring, her lips quivering; and Nellie, with throbbing pulses and clasping hands, looked eagerly from husband to wife, as though beseeching some explanation.

“What did she mean?  What did she mean?  I say again,” asked Rayner, pressing his hand to his forehead and gazing fixedly at his wife.

A moment longer she stood there, as though a light—­a long-hidden truth—­were slowly forcing itself upon her mind.  Then, with impulsive movement, she hurried through the dining-room, threw open the kitchen door, and startled the domestics at their late breakfast.

“Ryan,” she called to the soldier-servant who rose hastily from the table, “go and tell Mrs. Clancy I want her instantly.  Do you understand?  Instantly!” And Ryan seized his forage-cap and vanished.

It was perhaps ten minutes before he returned.  When he did so it was apparent that Mrs. Rayner had been crying copiously, and that Miss Travers, too, was much affected.  The captain was pacing the room with nervous strides in mingled relief and agitation.  All looked up expectant as the soldier re-entered.  He had the air of a man who knew he bore tidings of vivid and mysterious interest, but he curbed the excitement of his manner until it shone only through his snapping eyes, saluted, and reported with professional gravity: 

“Mrs. Clancy’s clean gone, sir.”

“Gone where?”

“Nobody knows, sir.  She’s just lit out with her trunk and best clothes some time last night.”

“Gone to her husband in town, maybe?”

“No, sir.  Clancy’s all right:  he was caught last evening, and hadn’t time to get more’n half drunk before they lodged him.  Lootenant Hayne got him, sir.  They had him afore a justice of the peace early this morning—­”

“Yes, I know all that.  What I want is Mrs. Clancy.  What has become of her?”

“Faith, I don’t know, sir, but the women in Sudsville they all say she’s run away, sir,—­taken her money and gone.  She’s afraid of Clancy’s peaching on her.”

“By heavens! the thing is clearing itself!” exclaimed Rayner to his gasping and wild-eyed wife.  “I must go to the colonel at once with his news.”  And away he went.

And then again, as the orderly retired, and the sisters were left alone, Nellie Travers with trembling lips asked the question,—­

“Have I done so much harm, after all, Kate?”

“Oh, Nellie!  Nellie! forgive me, for I have been nearly mad with misery!” was Mrs. Rayner’s answer, as she burst into a fresh paroxysm of tears.  “That—­that woman has—­has told me fearful lies.”