s traveling alone. She had evidently been warned against pickpockets,
for ever and anon she would start up and clap her hand to her pocket. Do
you see the point, daughter?"

"It showed plainly where she kept her money," replied Jeanne promptly.

"Exactly. If you keep fingering the petticoat it will show to every
one that there is something concealed there. Therefore forget all about
the papers if you can. Act as naturally as a little girl would going
to visit her uncle. There must of course be a reason for your going and I
have provided for that in this way. Quinine is a contraband article
and highly prized in the South. This basket has a false bottom. Above
is a lunch for your journey and underneath a quantity of quinine. You
may get through without falling into the Confederates' hands but it
is just as well to be prepared for emergencies, as you remarked last
night. Should you happen to be taken by them and they question you too
closely, finally confess about the quinine. It will be a point in your
favor that you have smuggled it through the Union lines. Should they
take it no matter. Do you understand?"

"Perfectly."

"I have secured transportation to Memphis, Tennessee," continued Mr.
Vance. "It brings you closer to New Orleans and leaves a shorter distance
to be traversed by water. You will have to change cars twice. Once at
Washington City which you can do easily as you have been there a number
of times. The other is at Cincinnati, Ohio. Do you think you can manage
it?"

"Why, of course I can," said Jeanne proudly. "It isn't as if I had never
been anywhere."

"Yes, that makes a difference," assented her father. "Yet, my child,
remember that before you have been accompanied by either your mother or
me. Now you will have to rely entirely upon yourself. This is a letter
for Commodore Porter who is a friend of mine, and who is somewhere on
the Mississippi. Ask for him as soon as you reach Memphis. If he is not
there there will be others on our side who will carry you down the river
after reading the letter. If at any time you are in doubt what to do
go to the hospitals. There are always women there who will gladly give
whatever aid you may need. And here is money."

"Mother gave me some," interrupted Jeanne who had listened with the
closest attention.

"Yes; that is in your purse, which is in the satchel, is it not?"

"Yes."

"Well, take this also. I had this bag made to hold it." He put a roll of
bills i