ictory and
General Jackson wrote her, "Miss Belle Boyd--I thank you for myself and
for the Army for the immense service that you have rendered your country
this day. Hastily your friend, T. J. Jackson, C. S. A."

Romance like danger courted her wherever she was. Finally in 1864 she
decided to go to England. President Davis gave her important papers for
Southern sympathizers there. She sailed from Wilmington, North Carolina,
aboard the "Greyhound." Vivid pictures are given of the crew throwing
overboard bales of cotton, but even this did not enable the ship to
outrun the fast Union vessels. Captain Bier also dropped a keg of money,
over thirty thousand dollars in gold, in order to lighten the cargo.
When Belle saw they could not avoid capture she destroyed her dispatch
and managed to put into a belt many gold dollars which belonged to her
and the captain of the boat. Let us read her description of the Federal
officer who said he must take over command of the "Greyhound":

"I confess my attention was riveted by a gentleman--the first whom I had
met in my hour of distress. His dark brown hair hung down on his
shoulders, his eyes were large and bright. Those who judge beauty by
regularity of feature would not only have pronounced him strictly
handsome, but the fascination of his manner was such that my heart
yielded." He begged Belle to consider herself still a passenger, rather
than a prisoner, which evidently she did.

There was a moon, a soft breeze "which swept the surface of the ocean
until it was like a vast bed of sparkling diamonds." Lieutenant
Hardinge, the Federal officer, quoted poetry from Shakespeare and Byron
and before the vessel reached Boston, Belle had given her heart and her
promise to marry the lieutenant.

While their own course of true love seemed to run smoothly enough
various forces concentrated to keep them apart.

First of all, soon after arriving in Boston Captain Bier escaped. And
while Belle took the credit for that, Lieutenant Hardinge was under
suspicion. Besides, while Belle was being treated courteously in Boston
her betrothed had gone to Washington in her behalf. The newspapers of
the day flaunted the stories of the beautiful Rebel Spy and everywhere
she went great crowds pushed themselves upon her.

When Hardinge reached Washington he begged Gideon Welles, Secretary of
the Navy, permission for Miss Boyd to visit Canada. This was granted and
a telegram ordered an escort for her and he