"Oh, hell!" forgetting every pretence to gentility. "He was not Atherton at all, but a damned Yankee spy. Do you mean to say you didn't know it?" I could see her straighten up, turning swiftly to face him. Whatever the shock of discovery may have been, indignation conquered, and her voice was cool, stinging. "Captain Le Gaire, I am not in the habit of being sworn at, and will leave you to gain your information elsewhere." She swept by him to the door, but, gasping with surprise, the man managed to call after her, "Billie, don't go like that! I didn't mean to swear. It was jolted out of me, and I beg your pardon." She halted on the threshold, glancing back evidently in hesitation. "This is not the first time you have let your temper loose in my presence," she said slowly, "but it is the last. If you feel so little respect for me now, the future is not very encouraging." "But, Billie, you don't understand!" "I understand enough. However we will not discuss this matter any further at present. What was it you desired to know?" "Where that fellow has gone!" instantly flaming up again. "He wasn't Atherton at all, but I'll swear he was the very picture of him; he would have fooled the devil." "No doubt," almost indifferently. "How did you discover the deception?" "By merest accident. Happened to mention meeting him to old Trevor, and he was up in arms in a minute. Seems Atherton married his niece, and the fellow here couldn't be the major, for he was shot in a skirmish three weeks ago, and has been in the hospital at Athens ever since. He's there now; rode over to Pemberton's headquarters to make sure, and met Gregory, Chief-of-Staff. He saw Atherton Saturday, and he wasn't able to sit up yet. The fellow here was a Yank--and you didn't know it?" "I very naturally supposed he was what he represented himself to be," she replied, coming back into the room. "And when you recognized him as an old acquaintance I never gave the matter another thought." "But he came through the lines with you," bewildered and doubtful. "The best of reasons why I should never have suspected him of being a Yankee. He was very pleasant and gentlemanly." "Oh, indeed! all a man has to do is smile and say nice things to get you women on his side." "Then why don't you try it? You are certainly disagreeable enough to-day." "Perhaps I am," endeavoring to laugh. "But if I could get my hands on that Yank I'd be in far better humor. Where is he?" "The last time I saw him," with provoking coolness, "he was at dinner with General Beauregard and staff." "At dinner! Here! Good God! he must have nerve. How did it happen?" "Through my introduction originally, and then later he was recognized by Captain Bell." Le Gaire sank down into a chair, glaring at the girl's dim, white-robed figure, his teeth savagely clicking in an effort to keep from swearing. As though to exasperate him yet more she laughed.