Mara looked on in silence, and though she had lowered the weapon she still held it in her hand.
“I hope you will lose nothing by your conduct to-day,” said Captain Dermot, more in mockery, we suspect, than sincerity.
She offered no reply.
“Come, men,” he continued, “we can afford to start for headquarters now. We have done a good day’s work.”
“Good-day, Colonel Morland; I am sorry for the treatment we were forced to give you, but it may learn you a lesson.”
A minute later the party were mounting their horses.
Curt had whispered a kind good-bye to her who had so nobly defended him, as his captors bore him out of the room.
“Never fear for me,” he said. “I am a soldier who is not afraid to die. Give my regards to Hal when you see him.”
She would fain have spoken to him, but the Confederate chief pushed her rudely aside as he hurried past.
She stood at the window watching the cavalcade in their preparations to start, while in spite of herself tears came into her eyes.