A moment later I was alone with the only man of them all who could penetrate my disguise. His first words assured me that he had not heard from Salome lately enough to imperil my statements. And his hurried whispers of love and devotion, together with his grave concern at my having undertaken a journey through that section at so dangerous a time, proved that he accepted me in perfect good faith.
Even at that desperate moment, at the touch of the Captain's lips I was filled with an unholy glee.
Fortunately, he had little time to play the lover. Love and war are an ill-matched couple, and except that both set at naught all interfering laws, they have nothing in common. The latter never relaxes the grasp of a master and exacts that all who serve him shall fulfill their duty to the utmost, without delay or flinching, although by so doing all pleasures, affections, ties of kindred and life itself are yielded up.
My expressed anxiety for his safety, and pretended impression that he was on some dangerous raid, led Captain DeLacy to assure me that he was with Luce, and to tell me what forces Luce had with him, but no more about his future movements than I had already gathered, which amounted to but little beyond a clue to the meaning of General Middleworth's movement, which I had witnessed that afternoon. I questioned as closely as I dared, but elicited nothing further. My shrewdest efforts were a failure. I saw that he either had not been informed of the object of the campaign, or felt bound not to reveal it even to one whom he held as dear as he did Salome.
CHAPTER XII.
While conversing with Captain DeLacy, I had become as familiar with the interior of the tent as I could by the light of one inferior candle and the use of my eyes. There seemed nothing there to invite investigation.
Even after Captain DeLacy had reluctantly left me, a closer inspection revealed nothing more promising. I sat on a camp stool, in a corner; near was a pile of blankets; a rough camp chair stood between me and the bed; a bayonet stuck in the ground did duty for a candlestick, and on an empty wooden box near me lay a paper-covered book.
I had just had time to run a hasty glance through the book, when the fly was raised and an officer entered. As was only natural, he started when he saw me, then lifted his hat with a half-spoken apology, tossed a newspaper carelessly on the bed, threw his overcoat over the chair and went out again.