her to calm her fears, as he promised her that no evil
should befal either of the young men whose indiscreet tempers had
occasioned the present uproar.

"In God's name! have they fired the dwelling?" he exclaimed, as at this
moment a volume of smoke rolled into the hall. "What ho, there! O'Neal,
McPherson. Look where this smoke comes from, and instantly extinguish
the fire! Stir yourselves, gentlemen. By my hilt, if any follower of
mine has been so wild as to put a torch to this house, I will hang him
up to the ridge-pole of the roof! Look to it--every man! Quick,
quick--there is danger that the flames may get ahead."

In an instant nearly every soldier in the hall departed in obedience to
this order.

"I beg, madam," Tarleton continued, "that you will dismiss your alarm,
and rest upon my pledge that no inmate of this house shall be harmed. I
conjecture that I have the honor to speak to Miss Lindsay--I have been
informed that that lady has lately found shelter under this roof."

"It is my name, sir--and as the daughter of a friend to your quarrel,
let me conjure you to see that this house is safe; I cannot speak with
you until I am assured of that."

At this juncture, Mrs. Markham was observed at the head of the first
flight of stairs, pale with affright, wringing her hands, and uttering
loud ejaculations of terror and grief as she made her way down to the
hall:

"Oh, sir," she said, as she approached the commander, "we are harmless
women, and have done nothing to call down this vengeance upon us. Take
what you will--but spare my roof and save my family! God will reward you
even for that act of humanity to a desolate widow."

Before Tarleton could reply to the matron, a party of officers came
hastily into his presence, at the head of whom was Captain O'Neal, who
reported that the fire was extinguished.

"One of the mess, to-day," he said, "heated with drink and roused by the
foolish temper of these hot-headed boys, threw a blazing billet into a
closet. Luckily, we reached the spot before any great harm was done. The
chaps should be switched, and taught better manners. It was a silly
affair and might have made mischief."

"See that the offender be arrested," replied Tarleton, "I will take
measures to curb this license. These meddling youngsters, too--however,
I can't blame them, they had provocation, I confess--and this war gives
an edge to all the metal of the country. Instead of pop-guns now every
baby has h