There had been a woman there! He could not quite blot that out--but not she; not Molly McDonald.
If--if it were she; if he had really seen her face in the flare, if it was no dream, then what?
Why, he must screen her from discovery, give her opportunity to slip away.

This was the one vague, dim thought which took possession of the man.

It obscured all else; it sent him blindly crashing over the edge of the ravine.

He heard the sentry at his right cry hoarsely, he heard excited shouts from the open windows of the barracks; then his feet struck a man's body, and he went down headlong.
Almost at the instant the sentry was upon him, a gun-muzzle pressing him back as he attempted to rise.
"Be still, ye hell hound," was the gruff order, "or I 'll blow yer to kingdom come! Sergeant of the guard, quick here! Post Number Six!" Hamlin lay still, half stunned by the shock of his fall, yet conscious that the delay, this mistake of the sentry, would afford her ample chance for escape.

He could hear men running toward them, and his eyes caught the yellow, bobbing light of a lantern.