t upon
her dangerous journey.

There was no sign of fear about the fair young maiden, as she placed
her foot in the hand of an officer and sprang upon the saddle. Her face
was calm, her eyes slightly elevated, and her lips gently compressed
with resolution. General Greene stood near her. He extended his hand as
soon as she had firmly seated herself and grasped the reins of the
noble animal upon which she was mounted.

"_God speed you on your journey, and may heaven and your country reward
you_," said he, as he held her hand tightly. Then, as if impelled by a
sudden emotion, he pressed the fair hand to his lips, and turning away
sought the seclusion of his tent, deeply moved by so unexpected and
touching an instance of heroism in one who was little more than a
child. As he did so, the officer, who had until now held the horse by
the bridle, released his grasp, and Emily, touching her rein, spoke to
the animal upon which she was mounted. Obeying the word instantly he
sprang away, bearing the fair young courier from the camp, and moved
rapidly in a south-westerly direction. Officers and men gazed after
her, but no wild shout of admiration went up to the skies. On some
minds pressed, painfully, thoughts of the peril that lay in the path of
the brave girl; others, rebuked by her noble self-devotion, retired to
their tents and refrained from communion with their fellows on the
subject that engrossed every thought; while others lost all present
enthusiasm in their anxiety for the success of the mission.

About five miles from the encampment of General Greene, lived one of
the most active and bitter tories in all South Carolina. His name was
Loire. He was ever on the alert for information, and had risked much in
his efforts to give intelligence to the enemy. Two of his sons were
under arms at Ninety-Six, on the British side, and he had himself
served against his country at Camden. Since the encampment of General
Greene in his neighbourhood, Loire had been daily in communication with
spies who were kept hovering in his vicinity, in order to pick up
information that might be of importance to the British.

Some four hours after Emily Geiger had started on her journey, one of
Loire's spies reached the house of his employer.

"What news?" asked the tory, who saw, by the man's countenance, that he
had something of importance to communicate.

"The rebel Greene has found a messenger to carry his despatch to
Sumter."

"Are you