Kennedy was rescued in the nick of time, and pledged to
silence. The Indian rode away triumphant. Nanette climbed back to her
window, exhausted, apparently, by her exertions, and Field started for
his quarters, only to find the entire garrison astir. The rest they
knew.
Asked how she came to know of the money in the trader's safe, he said no
secret had been made of it by either Hay or him. She had asked him
laughingly about his quarrel with Wilkins, and seemed deeply interested
in all the details of subaltern life. Either Hay or he, fortunately,
could have made good the missing sum, even had most of it not been found
amongst Stabber's plunder. Field had never seen her again until the
night the general took him to confront her at the Hays', and, all too
late, had realized how completely she had lured and used him. In pride,
honor, self-respect, he had been sorely wounded, and, even when assured
that the general attached no blame to him, and that his name was no
longer involved, he would have resigned his commission and quit the
service had it not been for these soldiers three, Webb, Blake and Ray.
They made him see that, all the more because his father's death had left
him independent--sole master of quite a valuable property--he must stick
to the sword and live down the possible stain.
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