"I mean a traitor, sir! Private Gray there came up behind me, leaped upon me, and held his hand over my mouth to keep me still, while he whistled to the Malays to come in by the opening, there." "You lying--" "Silence, Private Gray!" cried Captain Smithers, and all that was evil in his nature came to the surface, as he felt that here was an opportunity for disgracing, if not putting his rival to death; and a strange feeling of savage joy animated him for the moment. "Silence, Private Gray!" he cried. "Speak out, Private Sim. Do you mean to assert that this man served you as you say?" "Look at me, sir!" cried Sim, showing his disordered uniform. "That was done in the struggle; and I did not fire as soon as I could have wished." "Show me your rifle, Sim," said the captain. Sim held out his piece, while, choking with rage and astonishment, Gray stood speechless in their midst. The piece was examined, and it had just been discharged. "Show me your piece, Gray," said Captain Smithers. Gray held it out, and it was quite clean. It was not loaded, and it had not lately been discharged. "I tried as hard as I could, captain!" whined Sim; "but he came upon me so sudden like, that I was mastered at once." "What were you doing there, Gray? You were not on duty. Your place was in bed." "I could not sleep, sir," said Gray. "I doubted this man, and I came to see." "Why, you jumped right on me, sudden like, out of the darkness!" said Sim. "Silence, Sim!" said the Captain. "Gray, this charge must be investigated. You are under arrest. Sergeant, put this man in irons!" "But, Captain--" "Silence, sir! You can make your defence when you are tried by court-martial." "I hope, captain," whined Sim, "that it won't be my doing as he's punished. I'd a deal rather help a fellow than get him into trouble." "You are on duty, sir! Attend to your post!" cried Captain Smithers. He turned angrily then on Private Gray, who was so cruelly mortified, especially as, glancing upward, he saw the window was open, and Rachel Linton and her cousin there, that he could not or would not speak a word in his defence. He gave Sim a look that made that scoundrel shiver, and then said to himself: "She will not believe that I am a traitor!" He glanced involuntarily upwards as this thought occurred to him, and the captain ground his teeth with rage as he saw the glance; but feeling as he did that he had his rival beneath his heel, a glow of triumph ran through him. The next moment, though, all that was gentlemanly and true came to the surface, and he felt that Private Gray was not the man who could be guilty of such a crime. Sim must be the offending party, and Gray be too proud to speak. He could not iron him, or doubt his honour; he was too true a man; and as Sergeant Lund unwillingly came forward with a file of men, the captain motioned him back.