the quarters of the commander-in-chief. Immediately on the edge of this
wood, a small party of soldiers attracted the attention of the visitors
by the earnest interest with which they stood around a withered tree,
and gazed aloft at its sapless and huge boughs. Before anything was
said, Mildred had already ridden within a few feet of the circle, where
turning her eyes upwards she saw the body of a man swung in the air by a
cord attached to one of the widest-spreading branches. The unfortunate
being was just struggling in the paroxysms of death, as his person was
swayed backwards and forwards, with a slow motion, by the breeze.

"Oh, God! what a sight is here!" exclaimed the lady. "I cannot, will not
go by this spot. Henry--brother--I cannot pass."

The aide-de-camp checked his horse, and grasped her arm, before her
brother could reach her, and Horse Shoe, at the same moment, sprang to
the ground and seized her bridle.

"I should think it but a decent point of war to keep such sights from
women's eyes," said Robinson, somewhat angrily.

"Peace, sirrah," returned the aide, "you are saucy. I trust, madam, you
are not seriously ill? I knew not of this execution, or I should have
spared you this unwelcome spectacle. Pray, compose yourself, and
believe, madam, it was my ignorance that brought you into this
difficulty."

"I will not pass it," cried Mildred wildly, as she sprang from her horse
and ran some paces back towards the wood, with her hands covering her
face. In a moment Henry was by her side.

"Nay, sister--dear sister," he said, "do not take it so grievously. The
officer did not know of this. There now, you are better; we will mount
again, and ride around this frightful place."

Mildred gradually regained her self-possession, and after a few minutes
was again mounted and making a circuit through the wood to avoid this
appalling spectacle.

"Who is this man?" asked Henry of the aide-de-camp, in a half whisper;
"and what has he done, that they have hung him?"

"It is an every-day tale," replied the officer; "a rebel traitor, who
has broken his allegiance, by taking arms against the king in his own
conquered province. I keep no count of these fellows; but I believe
this is a bold rebel by the name of Adam Cusack, that was caught lately
at the Cheraw ferry; and our boobies must be packing him off to
head-quarters for us to do their hangman's work."

"If we were to hang all of your men that we catch," replied