CHAPTER XXI.ACCUSED.
Colonel Dunwoody was true to his word, and returned to his quarters by the house of Major Lester. Clarice opened the door for him, and he said pleasantly:
“Thanks, for I am in full retreat, and this is a haven of refuge for me. Glance up and down the rows and you’ll discover several ambushing-parties lying in wait for me, and I have barely escaped the petticoats upon my trail by dodging in here. I am very much in demand to-day by the ladies, Miss Clarice.”
Clarice laughed at beholding, as the colonel had said, the petticoat ambushers in squads ready to head him off and learn the facts regarding the prisoner.
As none of the officers had yet been made acquainted with just how matters stood, of course the ladies could not learn from their husbands what was really the status of affairs.
The colonel having thrown himself into an easy chair, said:
“Well, Miss Clarice, I had a long talk with that very wonderful man, Silk Lasso Sam.”
“Yes, sir, and I suppose found him unrepentant, as he was upon the single visit I made to him?”
“He was unrepentant, yes; but did I understand you to say that you had been but once to see him, Miss Clarice?”
“That is all, sir.”
“That is strange.”
“What is, may I ask, sir!”
“That you visited him only once.”
“That is all, sir.”
“Put your thinking-cap on, Miss Clarice, and see if you do not recall going there more than once.”
“I need not think, sir, for there can be no doubt, as such a circumstance as another visit I could not forget, as I shall never cease to remember the one call I made upon him through a sense of duty.”
“My dear Miss Clarice, I cannot but take your word for it, but you know all appertaining to the prisoner is reported to me.”
“Doubtless, sir.”
“And you are reported as having been to the cabin to visit Silk Lasso Sam on two separate days and occasions.”
“The report is wrong, sir.”
“It furthermore gives the time of your visits andthe length of time you remained. May I ask how long you remained the first visit?”
“The only visit, you mean, sir?”
“Yes.”
“I remained just seventeen minutes.”
“And there was no second visit?”
“None, sir.”
“Then I shall at once see the officer that made this false report, which is to the effect that you passed the sentinel and remained in the prisoner’s cabin just one hour and ten minutes.”
An indignant flash came into the eyes of the young girl at this charge, and she said with some show of anger:
“Colonel Dunwoody, you know me well enough to understand that I have nothing to hide, that there is no treachery or deceit in my composition, and I will esteem it a favor if you will bring the officer and sentinel who made this report to confront me.”
“I shall go at once, Miss Clarice, to sift this matter,” and the colonel hastened away.
He went direct to his quarters and sent for the officer who had made the report, and the sentinel who was on duty at the time of the alleged visit of the girl to the prison.
He also ordered the sergeant and corporal of the guard, who were on duty on that day, to report to him immediately. The result was that the officers and soldiers very soon appeared at headquarters, and the colonel asked:
“Captain Franklin, who was on duty at the prisoner Silk Lasso Sam’s cabin when it is said Miss Carr visited him three days ago?”
“McCarey, sir, was the sentinel.”
“Did you see the lady yourself, sir?”
“I did, sir, for she passed me and bowed.”
“It was Miss Carr?”
“Yes, sir.”
“You will vouch for this?”
“Well, Colonel Dunwoody, I will not do that, for the lady was veiled.”
“Ah! and yet you supposed it was Miss Carr?”
“I am very sure of it, sir, for she was dressed as Miss Carr dresses, and wore that very pretty red sombrero, with its embroidery, which she wears.”
“Thank you, Captain Franklin.”
The sergeant was next called; and reported that Miss Carr had passed him, and he had bowed to her, when she was upon her way to the prison. The corporalhad also spoken to her, and Sentinel McCarey stated that the lady had passed him, saying simply:
“I am Miss Carr, and I suppose you have your orders regarding me.”
“She was in the prison how long, McCarey?”
“Just one hour and ten minutes, sir.”
The officer and soldiers were then dismissed, with orders not to speak of why they had been called to headquarters, and the colonel at once sent a note to Clarice, asking if she would come over to headquarters, and ask Major and Mrs. Lester to accompany her.
In a short while after the note was sent, the major arrived with the two ladies.
Clarice saw at a glance that the colonel was greatly worried about something.
“Miss Clarice, I have received the report of Captain Franklin, the sergeant and corporal of the guard, and the sentinel on duty at the time of this alleged visit of yours to the prisoner, Silk Lasso Sam.”
“Yes, Colonel Dunwoody, and what do they say?”
“The captain states that he met you, and the others report the same.”
“This is a very remarkable statement, Colonel Dunwoody.”
“I asked Captain Franklin if he would vouch for itsbeing you, and he said that you were veiled, and also the others made the same statement, the sentinels saying that the lady in question reported herself to be Miss Carr.”
“This was at what time, Colonel Dunwoody?” asked the major, considerably amazed.
The colonel looked at the paper in his hand and gave the time.
“Why, Clarice was absent with us in the carriage at that very time, colonel; in fact, the whole of that day,” the major said.
“Major, I have not for once doubted Miss Clarice in her statement to me, and I only wish to find out who it is that has visited the prisoner, impersonating Miss Clarice to do so.”
“I cannot understand it,” the major replied.
“The lady wore Miss Carr’s red, silver-embroidered sombrero, her dress, and her veil.”
Clarice gave a start at this, and put her fingers upon her lips to silence Mrs. Lester. But in vain, for out it came:
“Why, colonel, that could have been no one else than Nina de Sutro, for she borrowed that red sombrero as a pattern for some embroidery for one forherself, and on that day, while Mrs. De Sutro has a dress the counterpart of the one Clarice often wears.”
“Miss Clarice, you and Miss De Sutro are about the same size, I believe?” said the colonel.
“I have nothing whatever to say, Colonel Dunwoody, for I have told you that I made no second visit to the prisoner, Silk Lasso Sam.”
“I hope you will pardon me, Miss Clarice, for the annoyance I have been compelled to give you.”
“There is no need to ask my pardon, colonel, for you have not offended and have done no wrong. I can well understand your position, sir, and I have no feeling whatever in the matter, other than to regret that I have been imposed upon.”
“As I regret it. Miss Clarice, and I assure you that Captain Franklin, the sergeant, corporal, and sentinel shall at once be made acquainted with the fact that the visitor to Silk Lasso Sam was not yourself.”
After a short visit the major and the ladies left the headquarters, and, putting on his hat, Colonel Dunwoody directed his steps to the home of Lieutenant-Colonel De Sutro.
He asked to see Miss De Sutro, and Nina soon entered the room, looking very pretty in a morning-dress.
“This is an honor I appreciate, Colonel Dunwoody, a morning call from you,” she said in her sweet way.
“Perhaps, Miss De Sutro, you will appreciate it less when I ask you why you have been visiting the prisoner, Silk Lasso Sam, without permission, and masquerading to the detriment of another lady to do so?”
The colonel’s voice was strangely stern, and Nina de Sutro had never seen so severe an expression upon his face. She paled and flushed by turns, and it was full a quarter of a minute before she replied.
Then she put on a look of injured innocence, and said in a tearful voice:
“Oh, Colonel Dunwoody, you are angry with me, and when I meant to do no harm. I only wished to see that poor desperate man again and bid him farewell, and see if I could not do him only a little act of kindness. I had just been given by Mrs. De Sutro the dress so like Miss Carr’s, and which was too small for her, and I put on the red sombrero Clarice wears, and wore them without thinking of the harm they might do.”
“And yet you spoke of yourself as Miss Carr?”
“Those who saw me called me Miss Carr, and, being veiled, I carried out the joke. I am so very sorry, and I will go at once to Miss Carr and beg her pardon,while I will do all in my power to make amends for my wrong-doing.”
“Then see Captain Franklin also, Miss De Sutro, and explain the affair to him, as also to the sergeant, corporal, and sentinel.”
“How can I do this, sir?”
“I cannot advise you, Miss De Sutro, and I believe you are clever enough to extricate yourself from this position without further advice from me, and also to save Miss Carr from being misunderstood.”
“I will do as you wish, sir. But you are angry with me, Colonel Dunwoody?”
“No, I am sorry that you placed yourself and Miss Carr in a false position,” was the reply, and when the colonel left the room Nina de Sutro threw herself upon the floor and burst into tears.