"Was it to see her again that night?"
"I don't know at all. If it was, he fooled her, for he never went near her again. Rollins put her in the carriage."
"Whose? Did she come out with the Suttons?"
"Why, certainly. I thought you knew that."
"And neither old Madame Beaubien nor Mrs. Sutton with them? What was the old squaw thinking of?"
By this time they had neared the guard-house, where several of the men were seated awaiting the call for the next relief. All arose at the shout of the sentry on Number One, turning out the guard for the officer of the day. Chester made hurried and impatient acknowledgment of the salute, and called to the sergeant to send him the sentry who was at the bridge at one o'clock. It turned out to be a young soldier who had enlisted at the post only six months before and was already known as one of the most intelligent and promising candidates for a corporalship in the garrison.
"Were you on duty at the bridge at one o'clock, Carey?" asked the captain.
"I was, sir. My relief went on at 11.45 and came off at 1.45."
"What persons passed your post during that time?"
"There was a squad or two of men coming back from town on pass. I halted them, sir, and Corporal Murray came down and passed them in."