t this time the murder of General Robert McCook by guerrillas greatly
angered the Federals. A few days after he was killed a couple of foragers
from Columbia were found dead. Lieutenant Haines lost no time in reporting
that the gang of guerrillas sheltered by Osborne had murdered the men. A
party was sent out, who burned the house, took away everything of value in
the shape of stock, and arrested Mr. Osborne, who was afterwards sent
North as a prisoner.

Calhoun listened to the recital with flashing eyes. "The villain!" he
exclaimed; "if I had only known this he would not have escaped so easily
when we captured him at Gallatin."

"That is not all," continued Mrs. Osborne, in a broken voice. "After all
this had happened, the scoundrel had the effrontery to renew his suit, and
say if Emma would marry him he would see that Mr. Osborne was released;
that he had powerful political friends who could accomplish this. We
spurned his proposition as it deserved. I knew my husband would rather rot
in prison than consent to such a monstrous thing."

"Oh! had I known! had I known!" exclaimed Calhoun, pacing up and down the
room in his excitement; "but we may meet again."

Little did Calhoun think that before many days they would meet again, and
that that meeting would nearly mean for him the ignominious death of a
spy. A few days after his return from Columbia, he asked the permission of
Morgan to visit Nashville. "I would like to see," said he, "what our
friends, the enemy, are doing in that city."

Morgan shook his head. "I don't want to see you hanged," he replied.

But Calhoun argued so zealously, that at last Morgan's scruples were
overcome, and he gave his consent, but added, "If you should be captured
and executed, I would never forgive myself."

Calhoun looked upon it as a mere holiday affair; he had passed through too
many dangers to be terrified. Taking half a dozen of his trusty scouts
with him, he had no trouble in reaching the Cumberland River a few miles
above Nashville. The few scouting parties of the enemy they met were
easily avoided. He ordered his scouts to remain secreted in a thick wood
near by a friendly house, from which they could obtain food for themselves
and provender for their horses.

"If I am not back in three days," said he, "return to Morgan, and tell him
I have been captured."

His men pleaded with him to let at least one of them accompany him, but
this he refused, saying it would but add to