hove in sight.

"There is that Yankee officer riding my horse!" exclaimed Calhoun. "How I
should like to meet him alone."

"They are going to stop," gasped the girl. "They may search the house, but
they will not if I can outwit them. Mother," she said, to an elderly lady
who had just entered and was gazing at Calhoun in surprise, "take this
officer upstairs and conceal him. There is now no time for explanations.
The Yankees are in the yard."

The mother, without a word, motioned Calhoun to follow her, and led him
upstairs. Hardly had they disappeared when her father entered.

"There is that Lieutenant Haines and his company visiting us again," he
said, with some anxiety. "I wonder what they want."

"Father," said the girl, "go and meet Lieutenant Haines, use him nicely.
Invite him to dinner."

Mr. Osborne looked at his daughter in surprise. "I never expected to see
the time you would want me to invite a Yankee officer to dinner," he said.

"Never mind now, I will explain afterwards. Go quick, for I see he is
throwing a guard around the house," was her answer.

Mr. Osborne went, wondering what had come over his daughter, and was
entirely successful in carrying out her scheme, although it was unknown to
him. Before his return, Mrs. Osborne came downstairs, her face denoting
her anxiety.

"Mother," said the girl, "do not let father know we have any one
concealed. It will enable him to say truly he knows of no Confederate
around. And, mother, I have told him to invite the Federal commander--it's
that odious Lieutenant Haines--to dinner. Be nice to him. Use him like a
welcome, honored guest. We must disarm all suspicion, and keep them from
searching the house, if possible."

We have seen how well her plan worked, and how completely Lieutenant
Haines was thrown off his guard. Little did he think that while he was
enjoying his dinner downstairs, the Confederate officer who had escaped
him was feasting like a king upstairs.

It soon became evident to Calhoun that there was no danger of the house
being searched, and from a window he observed all that was passing
without. When he saw the troop ride away, and his own horse led up to the
house for the Federal commander, that spirit of recklessness for which he
was noted came over him, and without thinking of what the effect might be
on those who had, at great risk, so kindly befriended him, he resolved to
try to capture his own. With satisfaction he saw the last Yankee