e twilight thickened rapidly and the winter night came down upon
them, hiding the ruined town, the blackened walls, the muddy streets and
the icicles hanging from scorched timbers.

Caesar Moncrieffe washed all the dishes--those left in the house had
been sufficient for their purpose--wiped them carefully, and returned
them to the cupboard. Then he announced that he must go.

"Come now, Santa Claus," said Happy Tom, "you must stay here. You've
done enough for one day. In fact, I should say that you've earned a
week's rest."

"I ain't no Santy Claus," said Caesar, "but I done got to git back to
Massa Moncrieffe. He'll be expectin' me."

"But you'll get lost in the dark. Besides, some Yankee scout may shoot
the top of your head off."

"You can't lose me anywhar' roun' here. 'Sides, I kin dodge them
Yankees every time. On a dark night like this I could go right up the
gullies and through the biggest army in the world without its seein' me."

Caesar felt that he was bound to go, and all the officers in turn shook
his big rough black hand. Then they saw him ride away in the darkness,
armed with his pass from General Jackson, and on the lookout for any
prowling Yankees who might have ventured on the right bank of the river.

"Isn't it odd, Colonel," said Harry to Colonel Talbot, "that so many of
our colored people regard the Yankees who are trying now to free them as
enemies, while they look upon us as their best friends?"

"Propinquity and association, Harry," replied Colonel Talbot, "and in
the border states, at least, we have seldom been cruel to them. I
hope there has been little of cruelty, too, in my own South Carolina.
They are used to our ways, and they turn to us for the help that is
seldom refused. The Northerner will always be a stranger to them,
and an unsympathetic stranger, because there is no personal contact,
none of that 'give and take' which makes men friends."

"What a pity we didn't free 'em ourselves long ago!"

"Yes, it is. I say this to you in confidence now, Harry. Of course,
I would be denounced by our people if I said it. But many of our famous
men, Harry, have not approved of it. The great Washington said slavery,
with its shiftless methods of farming, was draining the life out of the
land, and he was right. Haven't we seen the 'old fields' of Virginia?"

"And Clay was against it, too," said Harry; "but I suppose it's one of
the things we're now fighting for, unless we shou