“My yielding was to a second impulse.  At first I decided to ignore your note; then came the second consideration—­Miss McDonald.”

“Oh,” and she laughed, “at last I read the riddle.  Not satisfied with saving that young lady from savages, you would also preserve her youthful innocence from the contamination of my influence.  Quite noble of you, surely.  Are you aware of our relationship?”

“I have heard it referred to—­garrison rumor.”

“Quite true, in spite of your source of information, which accounts, in a measure, for my presence here as well as my intimacy in the McDonald household.  And you propose interfering, plan to drive me forth from this pleasant bird’s nest.  Really you amuse me, Mr. Sergeant Hamlin.”

“But I have not proposed anything of that nature,” the man said quietly, rising to his feet.  “It is, of course, nothing to me, except that Miss McDonald has been very kind and seems a very nice girl.  As I knew something of you and your past, I thought perhaps you might realize how much better it would be to retire gracefully.”

“You mean that as a threat?  You intend to tell her?”

“Not unless it becomes necessary; I am not proud of the story myself.”

Their eyes met, and there was no shadow of softness in either face.  The woman’s lips curled sarcastically.

“Really, you take yourself quite seriously, do you not?  One might think you still Major of the Fourth Texas, and heir to the old estate on the Brazos.  You talked that way to me once before, only to discover that I had claws with which to scratch.  Don’t make that mistake again, Mr. Sergeant Hamlin, or there will be something more serious than scratching done.  I have learned how to fight in the past few years—­Heaven knows I have had opportunity—­and rather enjoy the excitement.  How far would your word go with Molly, do you think?  Or with the Major?”

“That remains to be seen.”

“Does it?  Oh, I understand.  You must still consider yourself quite the lady-killer.  Well, let me tell you something—­she is engaged to Lieutenant Gaskins.”

His hand-grip tightened on the rail, but there was no change in the expression of his face.

“So I had heard.  I presume that hardly would have been permitted to happen but for the existence of a Mr. Dupont.  By the way, which one of you ladies shot the Lieutenant?”

It was a chance fire, and Hamlin was not sure of its effect, although she drew a quick breath, and her voice faltered.

“Shot—­Lieutenant Gaskins?”

“Certainly; you must be aware of that?”

“Oh, I knew he had some altercation, and was wounded; he accused you, did he not?  But why bring us into the affair?”

“Because some woman was directly concerned in it.  Whoever she may be, the officers of the fort are convinced that she probably fired the shot; that the Lieutenant knows her identity, and is endeavoring to shield her from discovery.”