consequences. Served us right, and we
were lucky not to have got a bullet through us. Gad! I'm afraid my
men would have been less discreet! I am Colonel Lagrange, of the
5th Tennessee; my young friend here is Captain Faulkner, of the 1st
Kentucky. Some excuse for a youngster like him--none for me! I"--

He stopped, for his eyes suddenly fell upon the bed and its occupant.
Both he and his companion started. But to the natural, unaffected dismay
of a gentleman who had unwittingly intruded upon a lady's bedchamber,
Brant's quick eye saw a more disastrous concern superadded. Colonel
Lagrange was quick to recover himself, as they both removed their caps.

"A thousand pardons," he said, hurriedly stepping backwards to the door.
"But I hardly need say to a fellow-officer, general, that we had no idea
of making so gross an intrusion! We heard some cock-and-bull story of
your being occupied--cross-questioning an escaped or escaping nigger--or
we should never have forced ourselves upon you."

Brant glanced quickly at his wife. Her face had apparently become rigid
on the entrance of the two men; her eyes were coldly fixed upon the
ceiling. He bowed formally, and, with a wave of his hand towards the
door, said,--

"I will hear your story below, gentleman."

He followed them from the room, stopped to quietly turn the key in the
lock, and then motioned them to precede him down the staircase.

CHAPTER VII.

Not a word was exchanged till they had reached the lower landing and
Brant's private room. Dismissing his subaltern and orderly with a
sign, Brant turned towards his prisoners. The jaunty ease, but not the
self-possession, had gone from Lagrange's face; the eyes of Captain
Faulkner were fixed on his older companion with a half-humorous look of
perplexity.

"I am afraid I can only repeat, general, that our foolhardy freak has
put us in collision with your sentries," said Lagrange, with a slight
hauteur, that replaced his former jauntiness; "and we were very properly
made prisoners. If you will accept my parole, I have no doubt our
commander will proceed to exchange a couple of gallant fellows of yours,
whom I have had the honor of meeting within our own lines, and whom you
must miss probably more than I fear our superiors miss us."

"Whatever brought you here, gentlemen," said Brant drily, "I am
glad, for your sakes, that you are in uniform, although it does not,
unfortunately, relieve me of an unpleasant duty."