oon for Jackson. There are a
number of Federals in that vicinity. It seems to me that your best plan
would be to remain with us until we reach Jackson where I will try to get
you to your own side. They will assist you to get home. That is where you
ought to be."

"And where I wish to be," said Jeanne. "You are very kind, Colonel Peyton.
Kinder than my own people were, and yet you know that I am a Yankee."

"I am treating you as I would wish my own daughter treated under like
circumstances," replied the Colonel gravely. "I don't war on girls, and
it seems to me that you have had rather a hard time of it. Well, we'll
get you out of it as soon as possible unless you and Bob destroy each
other in your quarrels." And he looked at them with a humorous twinkle
in his eye.

"We won't quarrel any more," decided Bob. "We have had our say and we feel
better. Don't we, Jeanne?"

"Ye-es," said Jeanne hesitatingly. "Only I didn't say all I wanted to."

"Never mind," laughed Colonel Peyton. "I've no doubt but that you will
have the opportunity yet. Did Bob tell you how she came to be with me?"

"No; how was it?"

"I ran away," said Bob, her mouth full of chicken. "I have no mother.
Nobody but dad. So when the war broke out, and he went into it I made up
my mind that I would go too. Dad sold off our darkies and sent me to stay
with Aunt Betty in Mobile. I stood it just as long as I could, then I
took Jack, my horse, and struck out for dad. I found him finally, and
now I've been with him for six months. And I am going to stay too. Am I
not, dad?"

"Until we get to Jackson," answered her father, regarding her fondly.
"Then I shall send you on to Vicksburg to stay with sister Sally. That
is the safest place in the Confederacy. Once there my mind will be easy
about you. A camp is no place for a girl."

The breakfast was finished and Colonel Peyton was about to leave them when
he turned to Bob abruptly.

"By the way," he said, "wasn't it Mr. Vance who bought Snowball?"

"Yes; it was, dad. I wonder how Madame treats her! It seems to me that
I've heard some awful stories about the way she uses her darkies."

"When she whips them she does whip dreadfully," said Jeanne. "But I only
know of once that she had Snowball whipped. And you are the Colonel Peyton
who bought her?" Then she told them of Tenny, Snowball's mother.

"That was why you started when you heard my name, was it not?" asked the
Colonel.

"Yes, sir."

"I wondered