the door.

"O, dear me! What shall I do? If it should be Mr. Stackridge! But it
can't be him! If it's only Mis' Stackridge or one of the niggers, I'll
face it out! They won't das' to make a fuss, for they're
Union-shriekers, and my son's a capting in the confederate army!"

Thump, thump, thump!--loud knocking at the door.

"My, it's visitors! Who can it be?" She set down her pail and basket.
"I'll act jest as if I had a right here, anyhow!"

She was hesitating, when the string was pulled, and two strangers,
stout, square built, with foreign looking faces, carrying muskets, and
dressed in confederate uniform, entered.

"Mrs. Stackridge?" said they, in a heavy Teutonic accent.

"Ye--ye--yes--" stammered the widow, trying to hide the guilty basket
and pail behind her skirts. "What do you want of Mis' Stackridge?"

One of the strangers said to the other, in German, indicating the
plunder,--

"This is the woman. She is getting provisions ready to send to her
husband in the mountains."

"Let us see what there is good to eat," said the other.

Mrs. Sprowl, although understanding no word that was spoken, perceived
that the borrowed property formed the theme of their remarks.

"Have some?" she hastened to say, with extreme politeness, as the
Germans approached the provisions.

"Tank ye," said they, finding some bread and cold meat. And they ate
with appetite, exchanging glances, and grunting with satisfaction.

"O, take all you want!" said the widow. "You're welcome to anything
there is in the house, I'm shore!"--adding, within herself, "I am so
glad these soldiers have come! Now, whatever is missing will be laid to
them."

"You de lady of de house?" said the foreigners, munching.

"Yes, help yourselves!" smiled the hospitable widow.

"You Mrs. Stackridge?" they inquired, more particularly.

"Yes; take anything you like!" replied the widow.

"Where your husband?"

"My husband! my poor dear husband! he has been dead these----"

She checked herself, remembering that the soldiers took her for Mrs.
Stackridge. If she undeceived them, then they would know she had been
stealing.

"Dead?" The Germans shook their heads and smiled. "No! He was here last
night. He was seen. You take dese tings to him up in de mountain."

"Would you like some cheese?" said the embarrassed widow.

"Tank ye. Dis is better as rations."

Mrs. Sprowl returned to the pantry, in order to replace the provisions
she had so generously g