TANGLING THREADS My surprise at this unexpected reference to the Lady of the Blended Rose, almost prevented utterance.

What could this partisan ranger know of the girl?
How could he even have identified her from my vague reference?
"Why do you say that ?" I asked eagerly.

"I did not mention the lady's name." "There was no cause for you to do so," and the grim mouth smiled.

"No one else in Philadelphia would have turned the trick so neatly; besides the fact that your opponent was Grant would have revealed the identity of the girl." "You know them both then ?" "Fairly well; he was a boy in these parts, an' I have shod his riding horse many a time.

A headstrong, domineering, spoiled lad he was, and quarrelsome.