I knew that Belfort had no suspicions of my intervention in this case, but the man Waters was there, and I believed that he was watching me always. He dropped back presently to my side and said,-- "Do you think that the man will escape, lieutenant?" "I have no thoughts upon the subject," I said roughly, "and if I had I certainly would not confide them to you." "I meant no harm, sir," he replied, "but one sometimes feels a little sympathy for such poor hunted fellows." But I was not to be betrayed by such dangerous admissions. I would not allow a man of his humble rank to question me, and I did not answer him. The chase died presently. You cannot keep a fire going without fuel, and since there was no longer a fugitive, we were no longer able to maintain a pursuit. At last we gave up entirely and returned slowly and wearily to Catron's quarters. I was sure that Alloway had been concealed by John Desmond, and later on would slip out of the city. On the whole I felt extreme satisfaction with the evening's work. My old wonder about the timeliness of Alloway's escape returned, but there was no solution. What Belfort thought of it he did not care to say, being silent like myself. CHAPTER TWELVE--_A Delicate Search_ I was aroused early the next morning by Marcel, who stood at my bedside shaking me vigorously. "Get up, Bob," he said, "there is work for you to do." He was dressed already, and regarding me curiously, his gaze containing a faint suggestion of humor. "What is it?" I asked, sitting up and rubbing my eyes sleepily. "Your particular friend, Mr. Waters, is here with orders," he replied, stepping to the door and giving a signal. The big, red-headed orderly entered and handed me a letter, gazing the while respectfully at the wall, although I was sure that in his inmost heart he suspected us and enjoyed our danger. I took the paper and held it a moment between thumb and finger, fearing to read its contents, but in a moment I dismissed my alarm as unworthy of a man and broke the seal. Lieutenant Melville is ordered to take a file of men at once and search the house of John Desmond for one Alloway, an American soldier who escaped from the prison last night and is believed to have hidden himself there. The search is to be conducted with all the courtesy consistent with thoroughness. HOWE, Commander-in-chief.