inhabitants of the region through which they travelled, in
order to obtain information, or wait for the passage of troops whose
presence might have caused embarrassment.

The considerate kindness of Allen Musgrove, and the unwearied attentions
of Mary, who, softened by her own griefs, evinced a more touching
sympathy for the sufferings of Mildred, every day increased the
friendship which their present companionship had engendered, and greatly
beguiled the road of its tediousness and discomfort.

The journey, however, was not without its difficulties, nor altogether
destitute of occurrences of interest to this history. The upper
districts of North Carolina present to the eye a very beautiful country,
diversified by mountain and valley, and gifted in general with a rich
soil. Considerable portions of this region were consequently occupied
and put into cultivation at an early period of the history of the
province; and, at the era of the revolution, were noted as the most
desirable positions for the support of the southern armies. This
circumstance had drawn the war to that quarter, and had induced a
frequent struggle to retain a footing there, by each party who came into
possession of it. Such a state of things had now, as we have before
remarked, embarrassed the progress of our friends, and had even
compelled them to diverge largely from the direct route of their
journey.

It happened, a few days after leaving the Yadkin, that the hour of
sunset found our little troop pursuing a road through the deep and
gloomy forest, which, for several miles past, had been unrelieved by any
appearance of human habitation. Neither Horse Shoe nor Allen Musgrove
possessed any acquaintance with the region, beyond the knowledge that
they were upon what was called the upper or mountain road that extended
from Virginia entirely through this section of North Carolina; and that
they could not be much more than fifteen or twenty miles north of Burk
Court House. Where they should rest during the night that was now at
hand, was a matter that depended entirely upon chance; and stimulated by
the hope of encountering some woodland cabin, they persevered in riding
forward, even when the fading twilight had so obscured their path as to
make it a matter of some circumspection to pick their way. Thus the
night stole upon them almost unawares.

There is nothing so melancholy as the deep and lonely forest at night;
and why it should be so I will not st