fe to cross in the daytime."

"I thank you greatly, Miss Kingston, and shall always remember your
kindness. Now, when I finish my meal, I will go out and join my boy, and
will come to you at eight o'clock; it will be quite dark then."

"Why should you not stay here till then, Mr. Wingfield? It is very
unlikely that anyone will come along."

"It is unlikely, but it is quite possible," Vincent replied; "and were I
caught here by Mullens, the consequence would be very serious to you as
well as to myself. No, I could not think of doing that. I will go out,
and come back at eight o'clock. I shall not be far away; but if anyone
should come and inquire, you can honestly say that you do not know where
I am."

"I have two revolvers here, sir; in fact I have three. I always keep one
loaded, for there is never any saying whether it may not be wanted; and
the other two I picked up last spring. There was a fight about a quarter
of a mile from here, and it was after it was over and they had moved
away, for the Confederates won that time and chased them back toward
Nashville, I went with Chloe with some water and bandages to see if we
could do anything for the wounded. We were at work there till evening,
and I think we did some good. As we were coming back I saw something in
a low bush, and going there found a Yankee officer and his horse both
lying dead; they had been killed by a shell, I should think. Stooping
over to see if he was quite dead I saw a revolver in his belt and
another in the holster of his saddle, so I took them out and brought
them home, thinking I might give them to some of our men, for we were
then, as we have always been, very short of arms; but I have never had
an opportunity of giving them away, and I am very glad now that I have
not. Here they are, sir, and two packets of cartridges, for they are of
the same size as those of the pistol my father gave me when he went
away. You are heartily welcome to them."

"Thank you extremely," Vincent said as he took the pistols and placed
the packets of ammunition in his pocket. "We cut two heavy sticks the
night we left Nashville so as to be able to make something of a fight;
but with these weapons we shall feel a match for any small parties we
may meet. Then at eight o'clock I will come back again."

"I shall be ready," the girl said; "but I wish you would have stopped,
there are so many things I want to ask you about, and these Yankee
papers, which are all we see n