dusty black had sat
down beside him, and was studying him with attention.

"How do you do, my friend?" said he at length, putting out his hand.

Mr. Klegg turned with a start, and instinctively put out his hand.

"Howdy," he said, with a tone of little encouragement, for he would
much rather have continued watching the country than indulge in
purposeless conversation. The stranger grasped his hand warmly, and
pressed his thumb upon the first joint of Mr. Klegg's, and caught his
little finger in a peculiar way. Deacon Klegg had been initiated into
the Odd Fellows, and he dimly recognized this as a "grip," but he
could not associate it for the moment with any of the degrees of the
brotherhood of the Three Links.

"Were you out late last night," said the stranger in a low,
deeply-impressive tone.{177}

"Not pertickerlerly," answered Deacon Klegg, turning to catch a view
of the stockade at La Vergne, where the 1st Mich. Eng. had made such
a gallant defense. "I'd a mighty bothersome day, and was purty well
tuckered out. I found a good place to sleep, and I turned in rather
airly. Say," continued he, pointing to the wreckage of battle, "the boys
seem to have poked it to 'em purty lively out there."

"It was a very sharp fight," returned the other; "but for once our friend
Wheeler made a mistake, and lost heavily. Down the road farther you'll
see evidences of his more successful work in some miles of burnt
wagons."

"Bad man, that Gen. Wheeler," said the Deacon, looking steadfastly out
of the window.

The stranger looked a little disappointed, but he rallied, and presently
gave the second grand hailing sign of the Knights of the Golden Circle,
in the same low, impressive tone:

"Did you see a star last night?"

"Can't say that I did," responded Mr. Klegg rather indifferently. "There
was lots of gas-lamps burning, and I was rather taken with them, so
that I didn't notice the moon or stars. Besides, as I told you before, I
turned in purty airly, for I was tired with my ride from Looyville, and
I wanted to git in good shape for the trip to-day."

A cloud of annoyance came upon the stranger's face, and he did not speak
again for a minute or two. Then he said:

"You are from Indiana, are you not?"

"Yes," said Mr. Klegg.

"From Posey County?"{178}

"Yes."

"I knew so. I've been looking for you for several days."

"Looking for me?" said Deacon Klegg, turning around in amazement. "How
come you to be lookin' fo