ast of my marvels to the
credulous ear of my own sweet girl, who, I warrant, will think me a most
preposterous hero."

"How can you laugh, Arthur? And yet I would not have you catch my
foolish sadness, either."

"I have with me, besides, Mildred, a friend good at need; one Galbraith
Robinson, a practised and valiant soldier, who sits on yonder bank. He
is to be the companion of my journey; he is shrewd, vigilant and
cautious, an inhabitant, moreover, of the district to which I am bound;
his wisdom can do much for my success. Then I travel, too, in peaceful
guise. My business is more concerned with negotiation than with battle."

"It is a waylaid path, Arthur," said Mildred, in the same faint voice
with which she had spoken before.

"Never take it so heavily, my love!" exclaimed Butler, familiarly
seizing her hand, whose trembling now betrayed her agitation,--"it is
the mere sport of the war to be upon a running service, where a light
stratagem or so will baffle a set of dull-pated clodpoles! I scarcely
deem it a venture, to dodge through a forest, where every man flies from
his neighbor out of mutual distrust. These fellows have brought
themselves upon such bad terms with their own consciences, that they
start like thieves at the waving of a bulrush."

"They would be the more cruel," replied Mildred, "if some ill luck
should throw you into their power. If that should happen," she added,
and for a while she hesitated to speak, as a tear fell upon Butler's
hand--"If that should happen, I cannot bear the thought."

"They dare offer me no wrong, Mildred. The chances of battle are
sufficiently various to compel even the victors to pursue the policy of
humanity to prisoners. The conqueror of to-day may himself be a captive
to-morrow, and a bloody reprisal would await his barbarity. Again, let
me remind you, these are not fit topics for your meditation."

"They are topics for my heart, Arthur, and will not be driven from it.
If your lot should put you in the power of the enemy, the name of
Mildred Lindsay, and the relation you bear her, whispered in their ears,
may, perhaps, unlock their charity. My father has many friends in those
ranks, and it may be that I am not unknown to some of them: oh, remember
that!"

"You have little need to teach me to think or speak of Mildred Lindsay,"
said Butler, eagerly. "I cannot forget that name. But I may well doubt
its charm upon the savage bulldogs who are now baiting our citizen