CHAPTER XXX.
THE MISSING ONE.
Monteith Sterry was astounded by the declaration of Dick Hawkridge that some one had passed through the rear door while he was talking with Capt.

Asbury.
"Who was it ?" demanded he.
"I told you we thought it was you," replied his friend.
"But you know it wasn't," he replied, impatiently.
"Then I have no idea who it was." "Some one has taken advantage of the moment I spent with the captain--I wonder if he had anything to do with it," he added, growing unjustly suspicious in his resentment.
He strode across the room; and, knowing where the leader was, demanded: "What is the meaning of this, Capt.

Asbury ?" "The meaning of what ?" "While I was talking a few seconds with you some person slipped out of the back door; do you know anything of it ?" "It is beyond my comprehension," replied the leader in a voice which removed all distrust of him.
And forgetful, in his excitement, of his duty at the front, he stepped hastily to the rear, where most of the men had crowded, despite the orders for them to maintain a strict watch.
"I heard you and the captain speaking," said Hawkridge, in explanation, "but your voices were so low that I would not have identified them anywhere.

Supposing you to be where you really were, I stepped to the rear window here and peered out in the gloom where I knew the stable to be--" "Did you see anything ?" interrupted Sterry.
"Not a sign of the signal.

While I was straining my eyes to pierce the darkness the door was drawn inward slightly, and a figure moved quickly across the space toward the stables." "You could not identify it ?" "Of course not, for you see how dark it is, and there was no light; in fact, I hardly saw it before it vanished." "It is as I supposed," added Sterry, angrily.