"
A half-hour later they left the cottage, Miss Carden holding open the
door a little to watch them until they were out of sight. But Harry
had recovered his strength and he was able to walk without Dalton's
assistance, although the Virginian kept close by his side in case of
necessity.
"Harry," said Dalton, when they were nearly to the Lanham house, "are you
willing to tell what happened?"
"As nearly as I know. I got upon the trail of that spy who has been
infesting Richmond. I knew at the time that it couldn't have been any
one else. I followed him up an alley, but he waited for me at the turn,
and before I could defend myself he let loose with his right. When I
came drifting back into the world I was lying upon the bed in Miss
Carden's cottage."
"He showed you some consideration. He might have quietly put you out of
the way with a knife."
"Shepard and I don't care to kill each other. Each wants to defeat the
other's plans. It's got to be a sort of duel between us."
"So I see, and he has scored latest."
"But not last."
"We'd better stick to the tale about the fall. Such a thing could happen
to anybody in these dark streets. But that Miss Carden is a fine woman.
She showed true human sympathy, and what's more, she gave help.
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