ment of a difficult problem. But now,
gentlemen, if you'll join me we'll take a bit of Scotch whisky."

Old Gid looked hard at him. "What?" said he, "insult old Semmes' liquid
music with a hot breath of peat smoke! Never, sir. And consequently I'll
take another glimpse at this mountain sunrise."

The Englishman laughed. "You have a most extraordinary way of boasting,
you know. You may take your sunrise on the mountain, but I prefer this
moonlight in the heather. A glass about half full of water, please.
Thank you, very kind I assure you." The Briton sat and sipped his Scotch
while the Major paced up and down the room, hands behind him, deep in
thought. But soon he took his chair again, a proof that what now was to
come was not a speculation but the outline of a plan of action.

"Where's Tom?" he asked, nodding at Gid, but with an eye upon Wash
Sanders.

"Over at my house," Wash Sanders answered.

"Well, when you go home, take this message to him. Say that I said go at
once to the neighbors for five miles below your house, along the county
road, and tell them that trouble of a serious nature has come--tell them
to meet, men, women and children, at my house by daylight in the
morning. Have him remind them that his house, on account of its
situation high above the river, is the easiest to defend, and that it
will accommodate more people than any other house in the neighborhood.
Tell the men, of course, to bring their arms and all the ammunition they
have. Explain that a sufficient number of men will be left here to
protect the women and children, while the large majority of us will make
all possible haste to the county seat. Tell the men to come mounted. Now
is it clear to you?"

"Major," Wash Sanders spoke up with more than his usual show of spirit,
"the doctors have condemned my body but they hain't condemned my mind.
It is clear to me, sir, and I will go now."

"All right," said the Major. "And Jim," he added, "you do the same with
the upper end of the road."

The giant was smoking. He stood his pipe against a corner of the
fire-place, got up and without saying a word, strode away. Wash Sanders
was soon gone, after halting at the door to say that he might not be
able to eat enough to keep a setting hen alive, but that he reckoned he
could pull a trigger with any man that ever came over the pike. And now
the Major, old Gid and the Englishman sat looking into the fire.

"War time, Gid," said the Major.

"Yes,