When Mrs. Rayner, after calling twice from the bottom of the stairs, finally went up into her room and impatiently pushed open the door, all was darkness except the glimmer from the hearth: 

“Nellie, where are you?”

“Here,” answered Miss Travers, starting up from the sofa.  “I think I must have been asleep.”

“Your head is hot as fire,” said her sister, laying her firm white hand upon the burning forehead.  “I suppose you are going to be downright ill, by way of diversion.  Just understand one thing, Nellie:  that doctor does not come into my house.”

“What doctor?—­not that I want one,” asked Miss Travers, wearily.

“Dr. Pease, the post surgeon, I mean.  Of course you have heard how he is mixing himself in my husband’s affairs and making trouble with various people.”

“I have heard nothing, Kate.”

“I don’t wonder your friends are ashamed to tell you.  Things have come to a pretty pass, when officers are going around holding private meetings with enlisted men!”

“I hardly know the doctor at all, Kate, and cannot imagine what affairs of your husband’s he can interfere with.”

“It was he that put up Clancy to making the disturbance at Mr. Hayne’s last night and getting into the guard-house, and tried to prove that he had a right to go there and that the captain had no right to arrest him.”

“Was Clancy trying to see Mr. Hayne?” asked Miss Travers, quickly.

“How should I know?” said her sister, pettishly.  “He was drunk, and probably didn’t know what he was doing.”

“And Captain Rayner arrested him for—­for trying to see Mr. Hayne?”

“Captain Rayner arrested him for being drunk and creating a disturbance, as it was his duty to arrest any soldier under such circumstances,” replied her sister, with majestic wrath, “and I will not tolerate it that you should criticise his conduct.”

“I have made no criticism, Kate.  I have simply made inquiry; but I have learned what no one else could have made me believe.”

“Nellie Travers, be careful what you say, or what you insinuate.  What do you mean?”

“I mean, Kate, that it is my belief that there is something at the bottom of those stories of Clancy’s strange talk when in the hospital.  I believe he thinks he knows something which would turn all suspicion from Mr. Hayne to a totally different man.  I believe that, for reasons which I cannot fathom, you are determined Mr. Hayne shall not see him or hear of it.  It was you that sent Captain Rayner over there last night.  Mrs. Clancy came here at tattoo, and, from the time she left, you were at the front door or window.  You were the first to hear her cries, and came running in to tell the captain to go at once.  Kate, why did you stand there listening from the time she left the kitchen, unless you expected to hear just what happened over there behind the company barracks?”