Inside the house Gordon was delivering up his message, and as he laid it before his chief, and stood silent while the elder man read and pondered its tremendous import, it occurred to him for the first time that his chief would require some report of his journey, and the hindrances that had made him a whole day late in getting back to Washington. His heart stood still with sudden panic. What was he to do? How could he tell it all? What right had he to tell of his marriage to an unknown woman? A marriage that perhaps was not a marriage. He could not know what the outcome would be until he had told the girl everything. As far as he himself was concerned he knew that the great joy of his life had come to him in her. Yet he could not hope that it would be so with her. And he must think of her and protect her good name in every way. If there should be such a thing ever as that she should consent to remain with him and be his wife he must never let a soul know but what the marriage had been planned long ago. It would not be fair to her. It would make life intolerable for them both either together or apart. And while he might be and doubtless was perfectly safe in confiding in his chief, and asking him to keep silence about the matter, still he felt that even that would be a breach of faith with Celia. He must close his lips upon the story until he could talk with her and know her wishes. He drew a sigh of weariness. It was a long, hard way he had come, and it was not over. The worst ordeal would be his confession to the bride who was not his wife. The chief looked up. “Could you make this out, Gordon?” he asked, noting keenly the young man’s weary eyes, the strained, tense look about his mouth. “Oh, yes sir; I saw it at once. I was almost afraid my eyes might betray the secret before I got away with it.” “Then you know what you have saved the country, and what you have been worth to the Service.” The young man flushed with pleasure. “Thank you, sir,” he said, looking down. “I understood it was important, and I am glad I was able to accomplish the errand without failing.” “Have you reason to suppose you were followed, except for what you saw at the station in this city?” “Yes, sir; I am sure there were detectives after me as I was leaving New York. They were suspicious of me. I saw one of the men who had been at the dinner with me watching me. The disguise--and--some circumstances--threw him off. He wasn’t sure. Then, there was a man--you know him, Balder--at Pittsburgh?----” “Pittsburgh!”