Page:Randall Parrish--My Lady of the South.djvu/231

A REBEL STILL utterly. I am angry with myself, humiliated, miserable."

"Yes, I can understand that. I felt much the same when the lock clicked behind me. But all this is the fortune of war, and it may be your turn to rejoice in another hour." There was a noise behind, and I wheeled about quickly, throwing up the carbine. O’Brien stood in the open doorway through which I had come, staring at us.

"I got toired waitin', sor," he said, grinning, "so I thried me luck at the gutter route."

"Very good," I returned, driven by his presence to action. "And now, Miss Denslow, I shall be compelled to lock you up for a while."

She rose to her feet, no longer looking at me.

"Where?"

"The room you were in when I ﬁrst came upstairs."

She followed me, without word of protest, her head bent forward. I held open the door, glancing within to see the nature of the apartment. Then her eyes uplifted and met mine, and I raised my cap

"Believe me, I regret this."

"There is no necessity for apology. You merely do your duty," she returned quietly, "I am a Rebel still."

I closed and locked the door. [ 217 ]