mark, and if Hugh is killed I'll--oh, Hugh!
Hugh--"

She could not tell what she would do, for the woman conquered all other
feelings, and laying her face on Rocket's silken mane, she sobbed aloud.

"There's pluck, by George!" muttered the old colonel. "I most wish Nell
was that way of thinking."

It was time now for Rocket to go, and 'mid the deafening howls of the
negroes and the tears of Mrs. Worthington and Alice he was led away, the
latter watching him until he was lost to sight beyond the distant hill,
then, falling on her knees, she prayed, as many a one has done, that
God would be with our brave soldiers, giving them the victory, and
keeping one of them, at least, from falling.

Sadly, gloomily the autumn days came on, and the land was rife with war
and rumors of war. In the vicinity of Spring Bank were many patriots,
but there were hot Secessionists there also, and bitter contentions
ensued. Old friends were estranged, families were divided, neighbors
watched each other jealously, while all seemed waiting anxiously for the
result. Toward Spring Bank the aspersions of the Confederate adherents
were particularly directed. That Hugh should go North and join the
Federal army was taken as an insult, while Mrs. Worthington and Alice
were closely watched, and all their sayings eagerly repeated. But Alice
did not care. Fully convinced of the right, and that she had yet a work
to do, she carried out her plan so boldly announced to Colonel Tiffton,
and all through the autumn months the frequent clash of firearms was
heard in the Spring Bank woods, where Alice, with Mug at her side, like
her constant shadow, "shot at her marks," hitting once Colonel Tiffton's
dog, and coming pretty near hitting the old colonel himself as he rode
leisurely through the woods.

After that Alice confided her experiments to the open fields, where she
could see whatever was in danger, and Harney, galloping up and down the
pike, stirring up dissension and scattering his opinions broadcast
through the country, saw her more than once at her occupation, smiling
grimly as he muttered to himself: "It's possible I may try a hand with
you at shooting some day, my fair Yankee miss."

Blacker, and darker, and thicker the war clouds gathered on our horizon,
but our story has little to do with that first year of carnage, when
human blood was poured as freely as water, from the Cumberland to the
Potomac. Over all that we pass, and open the scene again