"I deeply regret," said Ardmore, rubbing his chin, "that the adjutant-general of North Carolina is suffering from a severe attack of _paralysis agitans_ and will be unable to meet with us."
"I deplore the fact," replied the adjutant-general of South Carolina, "for one of our scouts picked up a darky in the highway a while ago who had on a uniform dress-coat with the initials 'R. G.' sewed in the pocket."
"If you will return that garment to me, General," said Ardmore, "I will see that it reaches Colonel Gillingwater by special messenger, where, upon his couch of pain, he chafes over his enforced absence from the field of danger."
Steps sounded on the veranda and all rose as Cooke appeared in the door, leading his handcuffed prisoner, who stood erect and glared at the company in gloomy silence.
"This man," said Ardmore, "we declare to be Bill Appleweight, _alias_ Poteet. I ask you, sir,"--he addressed the prisoner--"to state whether you are not known by one or both of these names?"
The man nodded his head and grumbled a reluctant affirmative.
"Professor Griswold," Ardmore went on, "the gentleman in charge of the prisoner is Roger Cooke, for many years in the secret service of the United States. He now conducts a private agency and is in my employ. Mr. Cooke, I will ask you whether you identify this man as Appleweight?"
"There is no doubt of it whatever. I have known him for years. I once arrested him for moonshining and he served a year in the penitentiary as the result of that arrest. You will pardon me, sir," Cooke continued, addressing Griswold directly, "but this is undoubtedly the man you had yourself captured at Mount Nebo Church two nights ago, but who was taken from you, as you may not know, by Miss Geraldine Dangerfield. She was lost in the woods and came upon the captive much to her own surprise."
Griswold lifted his brows in amazement and turned toward Jerry.
"If that is the case, Miss Dangerfield, I salute you! I am sorry to confess, however, that I did not myself see the man who was captured by my friends at the church, owing, it appears, to Miss Dangerfield's prompt and daring action, and the regrettable cowardice of my men. I want to say to you, gentlemen, in all frankness, that I am greatly astonished at what you tell me. Our prisoner is about the same height as this man, has the same slight stoop in the shoulders, and the same short beard; but there the resemblance ends."