If she had any inclination to act the spy, or
to use her position here as a means of communicating with the enemy's
lines, he thought he had thoroughly frightened her. Nevertheless, now,
for the first time, he was inclined to accept his chief's opinion of
her. She was not only too clumsy and inexperienced, but she totally
lacked the self-restraint of a spy. Her nervous agitation in the lane
was due to something more disturbing than his mere possible intrusion
upon her confidences with the mulatto. The significance of her question,
"Then it IS war?" was at best a threat, and that implied hesitation. He
recalled her strange allusion to his wife; was it merely the outcome
of his own foolish confession on their first interview, or was it a
concealed ironical taunt? Being satisfied, however, that she was not
likely to imperil his public duty in any way, he was angry with himself
for speculating further. But, although he still felt towards her the
same antagonism she had at first provoked, he was conscious that she was
beginning to exercise a strange fascination over him.
Dismissing her at last with an effort, he finished his work and then
rose, and unlocking a closet, took out a small dispatch-box, to which
he intended to intrust a few more important orders and memoranda.
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