fle barrel which extended out at the rear over the top of the seat.
"You git out'n the road, man," repeated she, "or I'll take a shot at you
for luck! We done come this fur, and I reckon we c'n go the rest the
way."

That could be no one but old Mandy McGovern! For the sake of amusement I
should have left her to make her own argument with the guard, had I not
in the same glance caught sight of her companion, a trim figure in close
fitting corduroy of golden brown, a wide hat of russet straw shading her
face, wide gauntlet gloves drawn over her little hands.

Women were not usual within the Army lines. Women such as this were not
usual anywhere. It was Ellen!

Her face went rosy red as I hastened to the side of the cart and put
down Mandy's arm. She stammered, unable to speak more connectedly than I
myself. Mandy could not forget her anger, and insisted that she wanted
to see the "boss."

"I am the Colonel in command right here, Aunt Mandy," I said. "Won't I
do?"

"You a kunnel?" she retorted. "Looks to me like kunnels is mighty easy
made if you'll do. No, we're atter Ginral Meriwether, who's comin' here
to be the real boss of all you folks. Say, man, you taken away my man
and my boy. Where they at?"

"With me here," I was glad to answer, "safe, and somewhere not far away.
The boy is wounded, but his arm is nearly well."

"Ain't got his bellyful o' fightin' yit?"

"No, both he and Auberry seem to be just beginning."

"Humph! Reackon they're happy, then. If a man's gettin' three squares a
day and plenty o' fightin', don't see whut more he kin ask."

"Corporal," I called to my sentry, who was now pacing back and forth
before the door, hiding his mouth behind his hand, "put this woman under
arrest, and hold her until I return. She's looking for privates Auberry
and McGovern, G Company, First Virginia Volunteers. Keep her in my
office while they're sent for. Bring me my bag from the table."

It was really a pretty fight, that between Mandy and the corporal. The
latter was obliged to call out the guard for aid. "Sick 'em, Pete!"
cried Mandy, when she found her arms pinioned; and at once there darted
out from under the cart a hairy little demon of a dog, mute, mongrelish,
pink-eared, which began silent havoc with the corporal's legs.

I looked again at that dog. I was ready to take it in my arms and cry
out that it was my friend! It was the little Indian dog that Ellen and I
had tamed! Why, then, had she kept it,