"Do you know who I am?"
The horror in Slavin's eyes had changed to sullenness, but he nodded silently.
"How do you know?"
There was no reply, although the thick lips appeared to move.
"Answer me, you red sneak! Do you think I am here to be played with? Answer!"
Slavin gulped down something which seemed threatening to choke him, but he durst not lift a hand to wipe the sweat from his face. "If—if I didn't have this beard on you might guess. I thought you knew me all the time."
Hampton stared at him, still puzzled. "I have certainly seen you somewhere. I thought that from the first. Where was it?"
"I was in D Troop, Seventh Cavalry."
"D Troop? Brant's troop?"
The big gambler nodded. "That's how I knew you, Captain," he said, speaking with greater ease, "but I never had no reason to say anything about it round here. You was allers decent 'nough ter me."