There were four troopers in the kitchen, and they turned at the noise to stare at me.
"How long have you boys been stationed here ?" I questioned.
"'Bout fifteen minutes, I guess," answered the nearest.

"Ain't that about it, Joe ?" "Not no longer." "Room empty when you came ?" "Not a rat here, that we saw; did we, Joe ?" The other shook his head.
"Was that bar across the outer door there then ?" "No, sir, there wan't no lock on it, an' Bill rigged up that contrivance hisself." I believed now I comprehended how it had occurred, all except the mysterious unlocking of the door at the foot of the stairs, and this fellow in our uniform that haunted the ell.

To make certain I retained the key, I took it out, and fitted it into the lock.

Still there might be a duplicate, and as for the soldier, I was hardly half convinced of his reality.

Billie had acted quickly, under the inspiration of discovery, and all the circumstances had conspired to make her escape from the house easy.