Hedidnotlingeroverthesedetails，butcastarapidglanceroundtheroom。Thenhiseyesbecamefixedonafancifulwriting-desk，whichstoodbythewindow。For，inahandsomevaseplacedonitsleveltop，anddroopingonaportfoliobelow，hungaclusteroftheveryflowersthatMissFaulknerhadcarried！
CHAPTERIV。
ItseemedplaintoBrantthatthedispatch-boxhadbeenconveyedhereandopenedforsecurityonthisdesk，andinthehurryofexaminingthepaperstheflowerhadbeenjostledandthefallengrainsofpollenoverlookedbythespy。Therewereoneortwofrecklesofredonthedesk，whichmadethisaccidentappearthemoreprobable。Buthewasequallystruckbyanothercircumstance。
Thedeskstoodimmediatelybeforethewindow。Asheglancedmechanicallyfromit，hewassurprisedtoseethatitcommandedanextensiveviewoftheslopebelowtheeminenceonwhichthehousestood，evenbeyondhisfurthestlineofpickets。Thevaseofflowers，eachofwhichwasnearlyaslargeasamagnoliablossom，andstrikingincolor，occupiedacentralpositionbeforeit，andnodoubtcouldbequitedistinctlyseenfromadistance。Fromthiscircumstancehecouldnotresistthestrongimpressionthatthisfatefulandextraordinaryblossom，carriedbyMissFaulknerandthemulatto，andsostrikingly\"inevidence\"atthewindow，wasinsomewayasignal。Obeyinganimpulsewhichhewasconscioushadahalfsuperstitiousfoundation，hecarefullyliftedthevasefromitspositionbeforethewindow，andplaceditonasidetable。Thenhecautiouslyslippedfromtheroom。
Buthecouldnoteasilyshakeofftheperplexitywhichtheoccurrencehadcaused，althoughhewassatisfiedthatitwasfraughtwithnomilitaryorstrategicdangertohiscommand，andthattheunknownspyhadobtainednoinformationwhatever。YethewasforcedtoadmittohimselfthathewasmoreconcernedinhisattemptstojustifytheconductofMissFaulknerwiththislaterrevelation。Itwasquitepossiblethatthedispatch-boxhadbeenpurloinedbysomeoneelseduringherabsencefromthehouse，asthepresenceofthemulattoservantinhisroomwouldhavebeenlesssuspiciousthanhers。TherewasreallylittleevidencetoconnectMissFaulknerwiththeactualoutrage，——rathermightnottherealspyhavetakenadvantageofhervisithere，tothrowsuspicionuponher？Herememberedhersingularmanner，——thestrangeinconsistencywithwhichshehadforcedthisfloweruponhim。Shewouldhardlyhavedonesohadshebeenconsciousofitshavingsoseriousanimport。Yet，whatwasthesecretofhermanifestagitation？Asuddeninspirationflashedacrosshismind；