He saluted, wheeled sharply about, and went out the window. I heard him strike the ground. Then I sat silently looking at the others in the room, wondering how the sergeant was getting along, and slowly realizing that I had a white elephant on my hands. I was endeavoring to play two games at once, love and war, and the various moves were confusing. It might be possible even for my little squad to hold this advance position until reinforcements arrived, but what could be done with the prisoners? Billie might forgive me--realizing the motive--for all which had occurred thus far, but if I were to turn her father and Le Gaire over to the hardships of a Northern prison, I could expect no mercy. I cared little as to the fate of the others, they had taken the chances of war, but these two must be liberated before our troops came up. I could not catch the girl's eyes; she sat with averted face, talking earnestly to her father. Uneasy, and puzzled how best to straighten out the tangle, I went out into the hall, and glanced in at the room opposite. A bunch of gray-clad men were against the wall, disarmed and helpless, even their tongues silent, and three watchful troopers guarded them, revolvers in hand. All stared at me as I stepped forward. "Where is the sergeant?" "At the stable, sir." "Oh, yes; hope he has as good luck there--got them all?" "Every bloomin' one of 'em, sir. They was quite nice about it." An indignant voice spoke from the gray line. "Blamed if it ain't Atherton! Say, Major, what does all this mean?" I laughed, stepping forward so as to see the speaker's face. "Captain Bell, isn't it? Thought I recognized your voice. I'm not Atherton, although I believe I was introduced to you under that name once. I have wanted to thank you ever since for bearing testimony in my favor." His jaw fell, his eyes staring. "Who the devil are you then?" "A Federal officer; my name is Galesworth." "And this is no joke?" "Well, hardly, Captain. I shouldn't advise you to take the affair that way. These fellows here might not appreciate the humor of it." I turned back, and met Miles in the hall, just as he came in through the front door. He grinned at sight of me, evidently well pleased. "Got every mother's son of 'em, sir," he reported. "Easy job too; never had to fire a shot, and only hit one fellow; he started a shindy in there," with a glance toward the dining-room. "There were five gray-jacks out in the stable, all asleep, an' they was like lambs. The blamed fools never had a guard set." "They felt safe enough, no doubt, back here," I returned. "The last thing they thought about was any Yankees getting this far. Do you know what they were gathered here for?" He shook his head. "It was intended for a wedding party, until we butted in." "Hell! not that pretty girl back in there?"