Jack guarding and taking care of his wounded father. A Home Guard had
been organized, and Daws Dillon was captain. They were driving out of
the mountains every man who owned a negro, for nearly every man who
owned a negro had taken, or was forced to take, the Rebel side. The
Dillons were all Yankees, except Jerry, who had gone off with Tom; and
the giant brothers, Rebel Jerry and Yankee Jake--as both were already
known--had sworn to kill each other on sight. Bushwhacking had already
begun. When Chad asked about the school-master, the old woman's face
grew stern, and Melissa's lip curled with scorn.

"Yankee!" The girl spat the word out with such vindictive bitterness
that Chad's face turned slowly scarlet, while the girl's keen eyes
pierced him like a knife, and narrowed as, with pale face and heaving
breast, she rose suddenly from her chair and faced him--amazed,
bewildered, burning with sudden hatred. "And you're another!" The
girl's voice was like a hiss.

"Why, 'Lissy!" cried the old mother, startled, horrified.

"Look at him!" said the girl. The old woman looked; her face grew hard
and frightened, and she rose feebly, moving toward the girl as though
for protection against him. Chad's very heart seemed suddenly to turn
to water. He had been dreading the moment to come when he must tell. He
knew it would be hard, but he was not looking for this.

"You better git away!" quavered the old woman, "afore Joel and Rube
come in."

"Hush!" said the girl, sharply, her hands clinched like claws, her
whole body stiff, like a tigress ready to attack, or awaiting attack.

"Mebbe he come hyeh to find out whar they air--don't tell him!"

"Lissy!" said Chad, brokenly.

"Then whut did you come fer?"

"To tell you good-by, I came to see all of you, Lissy."

The girl laughed scornfully, and Chad knew he was helpless. He could
not explain, and they could not understand--nobody had understood.

"Aunt Betsey," he said, "you took Jack and me in, and you took care of
me just as though I had been your own child. You know I'd give my life
for you or Uncle Joel, or any one of the boys"--his voice grew a little
stern--"and you know it, too, Lissy--"

"You're makin' things wuss," interrupted the girl, stridently, "an' now
you're goin' to do all you can to kill us. I reckon you can see that
door. Why don't you go over to the Dillons?" she panted. "They're
friends o' your'n. An' don't let Uncle Joel or Rube ketch you anywhar
round h