Part 51 (1/2)
”The commission is the least important part of it,” answered McVeigh hopelessly. He was pacing back and forth in decided agitation. ”The commission was forwarded me with instructions to take charge of the entire division during the temporary absence of the Major General commanding.”
”And you have lost those instructions?” demanded Masterson, who realized the serious consequences impending.
”Yes,” and McVeigh halted in his nervous walk, ”I have lost those instructions. I have lost the entire plan of movement! It has been stolen from my room--is perhaps now in the hands of the enemy, and I ignorant of the contents! I had only glanced at them and meant to go over them thoroughly tonight. They are gone, and it means failure, court martial, disgrace!”
He had dropped hopelessly on the lower step, his face buried in his hands; the contrast to the joy, the absolute happiness of an hour ago was overwhelming. Masterson stood looking at him, thinking fast, and wondering how much he dared express.
”When did you discover the loss, Colonel?”
”Just now,” he answered, rising and commencing again the nervous pacing. ”I had gone to my room with Dr. Delaven to find an old uniform of mine he had asked to borrow. Then I found the drawer of my desk open and my papers gone. I said nothing to him of the loss. Any search to be made must be conducted without publicity.”
”Certainly, certainly,” agreed Judge Clarkson, ”but a search, Kenneth, my boy? Where could we begin?”
McVeigh shook his head, but Masterson remembered that Delaven was also an outsider--and Delaven had borrowed a Confederate uniform!
”Colonel,” he asked, with a significance he tried ineffectually to subdue, for all subterfuge was difficult to his straightforward nature, ”may I ask for what purpose that uniform was borrowed?”
The tone was unmistakable. McVeigh turned as if struck.
”Captain Masterson!”
”Colonel, this is no time to stand on ceremony. Some one who was your guest tonight evidently stole those papers! Most of the guests were old, tried friends, but there were exceptions. Two are foreigners, and one belongs to the enemy. It is most natural that the exceptions be considered first.” Clarkson nodded a.s.sent to this very logical deduction and Masterson felt a.s.sured of his support. ”The borrowing of the uniform in itself is significant, but at this time is especially so.”
”No, no, no!” and his superior officer waved aside the question impatiently. ”Dr. Delaven is above suspicion; he is about to offer his services as surgeon to our cause--talked to me of it tonight. The uniform was for some jest with my sister. It has nothing whatever to do with this.”
”What became of the man you suspected as a spy this morning?” asked the Judge, and McVeigh also looked at Masterson for reply.
”No, it was not he,” said the latter, decidedly. ”He was watched every minute of his stay here, and his stay was very brief. But Colonel McVeigh--Kenneth; even at the risk of your displeasure I must remind you that Dr. Delaven is not the only guest here who is either neutral or pledged to the cause of our enemies--I mean Captain Jack Monroe.”
”Impossible!” said McVeigh; but Masterson shook his head.
”If the name of every guest here tonight were mentioned you would feel justified in saying the same thing--impossible, yet it has been possible, since the papers are gone. Who but the Federals would want them? Captain Monroe of the Federal army allowed himself to be taken prisoner this morning and brought to your home, though he had a parole in his pocket! The careless reason he gave for it did not satisfy me, and now even you must agree that it looks suspicious.”
McVeigh glanced from one to the other in perplexity. He felt that the Judge agreed with Masterson; he was oppressed by the memory of the accusation against the sailor that morning. Spies and traitors at McVeigh Terrace! He had placed his orderly on guard in the room so soon as he discovered the rifled drawer, and had at once come to Masterson for consultation, but once there no solution of the problem suggested itself. There seemed literally no starting point for investigation. The crowd of people there had made the difficulty greater, for servants of the guests had also been there--drivers and boatmen. Yet who among them could have access to the rooms of the family? He shook his head at Masterson's suggestion.
”Your suspicions against Captain Monroe are without foundation,” he said decidedly. ”The papers had not yet reached me when he arrived. He had no knowledge of their existence.”
”How do we know that?” demanded Masterson. ”Do you forget that he was present when I gave you the papers?”
McVeigh stopped short and stared at him. By the thin edge of the wedge of suspicion a door seemed forced back and a flood of revelations forced in.
”By Jove!” he said, slowly, ”and he heard me speak of the importance of my instructions!”
”Where is he now?” asked the Judge. ”I have not seen him for an hour; but there seems only one thing to be done.”
”Certainly,” agreed Masterson, delighted that McVeigh at last began to look with reason on his own convictions. ”He should be arrested at once.”
”We must not be hasty in this matter, it is so important,” said McVeigh. ”Phil, I will ask you to see that a couple of horses are saddled. Have your men do it without arousing the servants'
suspicions. I am going to my room for a more thorough investigation.
Come with me, Judge, if you please. I am glad you remained. I don't want any of the others to know what occurred. I can't believe it of Monroe--yet.”