my side," she added, in a low voice: "I feel foolishly afraid."

But a few moments elapsed before the light of the torches, gleaming upon
his figure, disclosed to Mildred the approach of a person of short
stature and delicate frame, in whose step there was a singular alertness
and rapidity. He wore the blue and buff uniform of the staff, with a
pair of epaulets, a buckskin belt, and broadsword. A three-cornered
cocked-hat, ornamented with a buck-tail, gave a peculiar sharpness to
his naturally sharp and decided features; and a pair of small, dark eyes
twinkled in the firelight, from a countenance originally sallow, but now
swarthy from sun and wind. There was a conspicuous alacrity and courtesy
in the gay and chivalrous tone in which he accosted Mildred:

"General Marion, madam, is too happy to have his poor camp honored by
the visit of a lady. They tell me that the Tories were so uncivil as to
break in upon your slumbers to-night. It adds greatly to my grudge
against them."

"I have ventured," said Mildred, "into the field of war, and it does not
become me to complain that I have met its vicissitudes."

"Gallantly spoken, madam! May I be allowed to know to whom I am indebted
for the honor of this visit?"

"My name is Lindsay, my father resides at the Dove Cote in Virginia:
under the protection of my brother and a friend, I left home to travel
into Carolina."

"A long journey, madam," interrupted Marion; "and you have been sadly
vexed to-night, I learn. We have a rude and unquiet country."

"My sister and myself," said Henry, "counted the chances before we set
out."

"I would call you but an inexperienced guide, sir," said the General,
addressing Henry, and smiling.

"Oh, as to that," replied the youth, "we have an old soldier with
us--Horse Shoe Robinson--hem--Stephen Foster, I meant to say."

"Horse Shoe Robinson!" exclaimed Marion, "where is he?"

"Mr. Henry Lindsay, General, and me," said the sergeant, bluntly, "have
been practising a lie to tell the Tories, in case they should take us
unawares; but it sticks, you see, in both of our throats. It's the true
fact that I'm Horse Shoe himself. This calling me Stephen Foster is only
a hanging out of false colors for the benefit of the red-coats and
Tories, upon occasion."

"Horse Shoe, good fellow, your hand," said Marion, with vivacity, "I
have heard of you before. Miss Lindsay, excuse me, if you please; I have
business to-night which is apt impertinently