munications
captured from the enemy," remarked Miss Osborne with a slight tinge of
sarcasm in her tone, "but it seems sacrilege that these private letters
should fall into profane hands."

"Some of them were rich," laughed Haines; "they were written by loving
swains to their girls. There were others written to wives and mothers,
which almost brought tears to our eyes, they were so full of yearnings for
home."

"Lieutenant, there was nothing in those letters of value to you from a
military standpoint, was there?" suddenly asked Miss Osborne.

"Nothing."

"Then I have a great boon to ask. Will you not give them to me?"

"Why, Miss Osborne, what can you do with them?" asked Haines, in surprise.

"I can at least keep them sacred. Perhaps I can find means of getting them
to those for whom they are intended. Think of those wives and mothers
watching, waiting for letters which will never come. Oh! give them to me,
Lieutenant Haines, and you will sleep the sweeter to-night."

"Your request is a strange one," said the Lieutenant; "yet I can see no
harm in granting it. You can have the letters, but the boys may have
destroyed some of them by this time."

"Thank you! Oh, thank you! You will never regret your kindness. I shall
remember it."

"I only ask you to think better of Yankees, Miss Osborne; we are not all
monsters."

Dinner was now over, and Sergeant Latham came to report that the hour for
the halt was up, and to ask what were the Lieutenant's orders.

"Have the troop ready, and we will return to camp. I see nothing more we
can accomplish here," answered the Lieutenant.

The Sergeant saluted and turned to go, when the officer stopped him with,
"Say, Sergeant, you can gather up all those letters we captured and send
them up here with my horse."

"Very well," said the Sergeant, but he muttered to himself, as he
returned, "Now, I would like to know what the Lieutenant wants of those
letters. I bet he has let that girl pull the wool over his eyes."

In a few moments a soldier appeared leading the Lieutenant's horse.

The family had accompanied Lieutenant Haines to the porch. Stepping down
to where his horse was, he said to the soldier, "You may return and tell
Sergeant Latham to move the troop. I will catch up with you in a few
moments. Did you bring the letters?"

"Yes, sir," answered the soldier, saluting, and handing the package to his
commander.

"Very well, you may go now."

Lieutenant Haines stood a