CHAPTER XXIX
THE MYSTERY DEEPENS
It was a task I distinctly shrank from, but could not escape.
"Shall I not call in your father, and ask him to relate the story?"
"No; I would much rather hear it from you--tell me everything."
My heart throbbed at these simple words, and the thought suddenlyoccurred that possibly it was her loss of faith in me, rather than thedeath of Le Gaire which had brought such pain. If she had actuallybelieved all the man had told her, it must have proven a shock, yet howcould I now best counteract his story? It was not my nature to speak illof any one, least of all the dead, but I must justify myself, win backher respect. Only the whole truth could accomplish this. There was ahassock nearby and I dropped down upon it. She did not move, nor turnher face toward me.
I began with my orders to report at General Grant's headquarters, so asto thus make clear to her the reasons bringing me to the Hardyplantation. I told about our night trip up the ravine, explained myignorance of who occupied the house to which I had been, despatched, andhow circumstances compelled me to remain concealed on the balcony, andthus overhear her conversation with her father and Captain Le Gaire. Ieven referred to our quadroon guide, and then it was she suddenly turnedher face toward me.
"A quadroon--and claiming to have once lived here? Who could that be?"
"A servant slave of Le Gaire's."
"Oh, yes! Charles. I remember now--he ran away."
Somehow she seemed more like the Billie of old now, and I went on withgreater confidence, barely touching on my sudden determination toprevent her wedding, the capture of the house, and our subsequentconversation together. As I approached the unpleasant interview in theparlor she sat up, brushing back her hair, and with questioning eyes onmine, exhibited the deepest interest. I told the rest, word by word, actby act, determined to thus impress upon her the full truth of thenarrative. I could tell by her aroused interest that I was succeeding,while her questions gave me some inkling as to what she had beenpreviously led to believe. After my account of the duel and Le Gaire'sescape I stopped to ask,
"Miss Billie, do you believe all this?"
"Oh, I must! You surely would not dare say what you have, unless certainmy father would sustain you."
"But is it hard to believe?"
"Yes and no. I--I wish to believe, because--well, because it is sodisagreeable to lose confidence in any one who has been esteemed as afriend. Perhaps I am too loyal, too easily convinced. But--but I wastold such a different story, and it seemed so real, and every fact withwhich I was acquainted appeared to confirm it. If all you tell me now istrue, Lieutenant Galesworth, I hardly know how I dare look you inthe face."
"Forget that, and let us understand fully. Will you tell me all,--howyou came to protect Le Gaire, and what it was he told you?"
She was silent, her eyes shaded, and I waited, wondering if she meant tospeak.
"Perhaps if you consent to do this," I urged, "it may help to clear upthe mystery of his death."
"You have not told me about that."
"I know little beyond the discovery of the body," gravely, "and shouldprefer to understand all that passed between you before going on with myown tale. I have taken you already as far as I have witnesses tocorroborate me--beyond that you will have to trust my word alone."
Her long lashes uplifted, the blue-gray eyes looking directly into myown.
"What is all that firing?" she questioned. "The house fairly quakes; isit a battle?"
"Yes; the contending forces have been gradually drawing nearer eversince daylight. The Confederate lines are being forced back, and whenChambers arrives in support this point may prove the centre of struggle.I am eager to get away, Miss Billie, to protect the lives of my men, butI could not leave with you feeling as you did--believing me a coward, amurderer."
"But I am ashamed to tell you--ashamed to confess I could ever havethought it true."
I touched her hand with my fingers, and she did not shrink away, or seemto observe the action.
"I am bound to learn sometime--wouldn't you rather tell me yourself?"
"Yes, for, perhaps, I can make it seem less bad, more natural. I wasangry when you left me, locked here in this room. I was indignant atwhat you had said and done, and did not realize the military necessityfor making me a prisoner. I resented your taking everything so forgranted, and--and I believe I almost hated you. I know I lay down hereon the couch and cried myself to sleep. I could not have slept long, andwhen I awoke my mind still retained its bitterness. I began to wonderwhat I should do; how I could turn the tables against you. I was notreally locked in, because this side door into the next room had beenleft unfastened. Finally I decided on a desperate venture. There werehorses in the stable belonging to the captured cavalrymen, and if Icould steal out of the house, and reach the Confederate lines, arescuing party could be guided back here. The idea more and more tookpossession of me, and at last I mustered sufficient courage to make theattempt. I slipped on an old riding skirt, and stole out quietly throughthat other room into the hall. I thought I could get down the backstairs unobserved, and then out through the kitchen. I had no idea youhad placed a guard back there in the ell until I saw him."
"A guard!" I broke in. "There was no guard up here."
"But there was--just beyond the head of the stairs. One of your men too,for his jacket was pinned up, without buttons. I was close enough tosee that."
"That's strange; I gave no such orders, and do not believe Miles did.Did you see the fellow's face?"
"Only in shadow--he was young, and without a beard."
"Go on," I said, realizing that here was an important discovery, "I willask the sergeant."
"Finding the passage blocked I returned to my own room, but left thisdoor ajar. The disappointment left me angrier than ever, but helpless. Icould only sit down and wait, knowing nothing of what was going onbelow. I finally heard the two shots out by the stable, and went to thewindow. Three horsemen rode past the corner of the house, and then, amoment or two later, I saw a man running along, crouching behind thefence. I could not tell who he was, only he had on a gray uniform, andhe suddenly turned, and made for the house. Once he tripped and fell,and got up with his hands to his head as though hurt. That was the lastglimpse I had of him from the window. Perhaps five minutes later I heardsome one moving in the next room. I supposed it was the guard prowlingabout, and kept still. Then the door was pushed open, and Captain LeGaire came in."
"But where was the guard then?"
"I don't know. I asked, but the captain had seen no one. I cannot tellyou how the man looked, acted, or exactly what he said. The first glanceat him awoke my sympathy, before he had spoken a word, for his uniformwas torn and covered with dirt, and his face all blood from a wound onthe temple. He was trembling like a child, and could hardly talk. Iwashed his wound out, and bound it up before I even asked a question. Bythat time he was himself again, and began to explain. Is it necessaryfor me to repeat what he said?"
"I would rather you would; don't you think I ought to know?"
"I suppose you had, but--but it is not a pleasant task. I could not helpbut believe what he said, for he told it so naturally; he--he almostseemed to regret the necessity, and--and I never once dreamed he wouldlie to me. Then father said just enough to apparently confirm it all,and--and other things happened."
"Yes, I know," understanding her embarrassment. "You mustn't think Iblame you. You have known me such a little while."
"But I should have sought after the truth, nevertheless, for I certainlyhad no cause to believe you capable of so cowardly an action. I--surelyknew you better than that. But this was what he said: that you came intothe room below promising to release the others, but threatening to takehim prisoner with you into the Federal lines. He protested, and--andthen you referred to me in a way he could not stand, and blows wereexchanged. As a result he dared you to fight him, and you couldn'trefuse before your own men, although you endeavored to back
out. Thatyou chose pistols for weapons, and compelled their acceptance. On thefield, he said, you fired before the word was spoken, and while he wasstill lying on the ground, shocked by the bullet, you flung thederringer at him, cutting his forehead; then drew your own revolver.Unarmed, believing he was to be murdered, he turned and ran."
"And you actually believed all this of me?"
"Why," bewildered, "he was a soldier, and my father's friend. How couldI imagine he would run without cause? His story sounded true, as he toldit, and he was hurt."
"He must have got that when he fell--his head struck something. And isthat all?"
"Yes; only we talked about how he might get away. He was here untilfather came for me, and then stepped into the other room. When I cameback, he had gone. A little later I heard you searching the rooms, andwent out into the hall believing it might be he."
"You saw nothing more of him?"
"No."
"Nor of the man you mistook for a guard?"
She shook her head positively.
"Only the once." Then, after hesitating, her eyes uplifted to mine."Lieutenant Galesworth, you did not encounter Captain Le Gaire alive inthe hall?"
"I never saw him alive after he ran from the field. The noise you heardwas when I tripped and fell, my revolver dropping to the floor. It wasthen I discovered his dead body. You will believe this?"
"Yes," and she extended her hand. "I have been very wrong; you mustforgive me. But how could he have been killed? Who could have hada motive?"
"Had Le Gaire no enemies?"
"Not to my knowledge. I know little of his life, yet surely there couldbe no one here--in this house--who would deliberately seek to kill him.No one would have opportunity except one of your own men."
I confess it appeared that way to me also, and the fact only served tomake the mystery more baffling. I knew personally every soldier under mycommand, and was certain no man among them had ever so much as seen LeGaire previous to the night before. They could have no reason to attempthis life, no grudge against him. Yet every Confederate was under guard,and the fellow Billie had seen in the hall wore our uniform, even to thedetached buttons--she had noted that. If the man had been on guard,merely performing his military duty, there would have been no secrecy;he would have reported the affair long before this. But Le Gaire hadbeen murdered, treacherously killed, without doubt struck from behind,and there must be some reason, some cause for the act.
"I understand this no better than you," I admitted finally. "I shallhave the house thoroughly searched, and every one of my men examined.But I am afraid we shall be obliged to leave before the mystery issolved. Hear those guns! It almost seems as though the fighting wasalready within sight of the house." I stepped across to the window andlooked out. "However it is all to the north and east, and there is stillopportunity for us to get safely away into the ravine. I cannotunderstand why our forces have not taken advantage of it--in that waythey could have struck the enemy a stunning blow on the left. There's ablunder somewhere. But we can hold the house no longer; only before I goI must know that you believe in me."
"I do," earnestly.
"And I am going to clinch that faith," opening the door into the hall."Major Hardy, just a moment."
He turned back from the open window, his face flushed with excitement.
"The stragglers are beginning to show up," he exclaimed pointing, "andthe boys are fighting like hell out there beyond those woods. And--andsee that dust cloud over yonder; by all the gods, it will be Chamberscoming up at last!"
"Then hurry here; I want to ask you just one question for yourdaughter's sake: Were you my second in the duel this morning?"
"Certainly."
"Why didn't you tell me, papa? Why didn't you explain that LieutenantGalesworth was not to blame?"
"Well, I didn't want you to feel any worse than you did. You and LeGaire were going to be married, and I supposed you cared a good deal forhim. Someway I couldn't make myself talk about it, Billie; that's all."
Her eyes sought mine, but just then Miles appeared in the hall, haltingwith a salute as he caught sight of me.
"Nobody in the attic, sir, but things are getting pretty warm outside,"he reported anxiously.
"The way is still open toward the ravine, Sergeant. Get your mentogether in the front hall at once. Never mind the prisoners; the majorwill release them after we have gone."
His heels came together with a click, and he strode to the head of thestairs.
"By the way, Sergeant," I called after him, "did you have a guardposted in the upper hall here this morning?"
"A guard? No, sir."
"Were you aware that any of our men had been up stairs since lastevening?"
"None of them have, sir; I'm cocksure of that." "That's all, Sergeant;be lively now." My eyes turned toward Billie, and she held out bothher hands.
"If we never know the truth, Lieutenant Galesworth," she said softly, "Ishall believe all you have told me."
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