The rain had not
ceased nor had the heavy darkness lifted, but the looming shadow of the
big house was sufficient guide. He found the place where he had slipped
down the bank and the torn bushes and grass showed that he had made a
fine trail. He pulled himself back up by the bushes and reentered the
garden, where he was halted at once by two watchful sentries.
"Lieutenant Richard Mason of Colonel Winchester's staff," he said,
"returning from the pursuit of a fugitive."
The men knew him and they said promptly:
"Pass Lieutenant Mason."
But despite the dark they stared at him very curiously, and when he
walked on toward the piazza one of them muttered to the other:
"I guess he must have overtook that fugitive he was chasin'."
Dick walked up the steps upon the piazza, where some one had lighted a
small lamp, near which stood Colonel Winchester and his staff.
"Here's Dick!" exclaimed Warner in a tone of great relief.
"And we thought we had lost him," said Colonel Winchester, gladness
showing in his voice. Then he added: "My God, Dick, what have you been
doing to yourself?"
"Yes, what kind of a transformation is this?" added a major.
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