"No, indeed, not a brave foe, but our precious Colonel Calembours himself. He has deserted to Lee's army, and had the audacity to tell his scheme to me. Quick, Thoms, your arm, man! I must communicate with the general and set scouts on his track." St. Udo hastened to the general's tent as speedily as his reeling head would permit him. A pursuit was immediately made of the fugitive, and precautions taken to foil his intended treachery; but the pursuit was fruitless--Calembours had dodged misfortune successfully this time. Lying face down in his tent, St. Udo Brand mused over the fleeting incidents of his late existence, and owned himself at fault. He looked back upon the friends he had expected fidelity from--which of them had not betrayed his trust? Upon the humble worm he had crushed with scorning heel--his life-preserver--his only friend now. The deserted man scanned his reckless life, and in its shapeless fragments began to find a plan, and wonderingly, as a child fits together the scattered sections of his little puzzle, St. Udo linked the parted sections of his existence into their possible plan--and lo! he discovered that Providence held the key! The remorseful man rose, and found Thoms studying him with his uncanny stare. "My kind fellow," said St. Udo, gently, "Since your master has left you on my hands, and since I can't forget the noble service you have done me, perhaps you had better enter my service and see me through the war?" "That will I, colonel," answered Thoms, with a keen smile. "You have been a good friend to me, and Heaven knows I have need of friends," said St. Udo, gratefully. The glittering eyes watched him as intently as if the old man were learning a lesson. "If there's anything I could do for you, Thoms, to mark my gratitude, I would like to hear of it," said St. Udo. "Nothing, colonel, except to let me stay by you." "You may get shot in battle, my man." "So may you, colonel, and more likely." "Well, we won't dispute about that," said St. Udo, sunnily. "But wouldn't you rather go North, out of the scrape?" "I'll never leave you!" St. Udo, glancing up gratefully, saw that in his eye, which chilled as with the finger of death, the warm words crowding to his lips; a thrill of mortal dread, a sure premonition of evil seized his soul, and he waited, with the words frozen, regarding the man with stony stare until he turned on his heel and shuffled out of sight. That night, when Thoms ventured back to sate his gloating eyes again upon St. Udo Brand, he sought for him in vain--his sub-officer occupied his tent. "Where is the colonel?" asked Thoms, turning sharply on the nearest soldier. "Gone, two hours ago." "Gone!" How white the sallow face blanched. How the tones quavered. "By Heaven, I have lost him," cried Thoms, vehemently. "Where did he go?" "On a secret embassy somewhere." "Without me!" groaned Thoms, with a wild flash of the wolfish eyes. "He has stolen away from me--_he has found me out_!"