have the influence of Col. David to keep them out of the Union army, and
that if compelled at any time to join either army they would join the
rebels.

"'Where have they gone?' inquired Peter.

"'They have gone into the country some twenty miles, to Collins Grove.
There is to be a political meeting there to-morrow, and they expect, as
they told us, that Thomas A. Strider, of Indianapolis, and Dan Bowen,
also of Indiana, were to be there, and through one of them they thought
they could obtain aid; that while in prison they had been initiated
into a society called the "Knights of the Golden Circle," which was
a secession organization, intended as an auxiliary force to the
rebel army; that Dan Bowen was one of their main men, and so called
"Agitator"; that Thomas A. Strider was Chief Counselor to the
organization in Indiana; was to be in Washington most of the time to
"watch things" and to defend them at all times when any of their order
should be arrested or in any danger.'

"Peter and I went out to the barn and talked the matter over, and
thought that in such a case as this we would be justified in resorting
to any means or strategy to discover this secret organization and
ascertain the designs of its members. We concluded to get Joseph Dent,
who was an old soldier, and very bright, with an excellent memory, to
join it and find out all that he could about the organization. Agreeing
to this, Peter hobbled back on his crutches. He being a soldier made the
proposition to Dent, which he readily acceded to, saying:

"'I had thought of that myself, but feared that you might take me to be
too intimate with these people. I call them Secessionists and rebels. I
think, that if you agree, I will go down to this meeting to-morrow, and
when I come back will come to Allentown, as they might keep a watch on
me here.'

"With this understanding we returned, instructing Joseph Dent to stay as
long as might become necessary, in order to learn all that he could as
to the design of these people. After getting our supplies in the wagon
we returned home. On arriving we found all feeling very joyful over the
fact that Col. Anderson would be home in the course of a week. He had
so written to me. Aunt Sarah had opened and read the letter. Little
Mary was so delighted that she ran out and tried to tell us all that her
father had written. She would talk and stammer and draw a long breath,
and then commence again, and repeat until I had to te