y, and directly a crowd of frightened negroes ran to the
house with the tale that a party of scouts had been driven in,
reporting the Yankees approaching and only ten miles away.

The sense of responsibility which at once took possession of the
girl's mind overmastered her terror. She, as well as a few servants
considered worthy of trust, had received clear instructions how to act
in such an emergency; but before anything could be accomplished a
party of horsemen (Confederates) rode up, and hastily giving
information that the Federals had taken the "Pleasant Hill road,"
dashed off again. This knowledge did not relieve Sally's mind,
however, for on the Pleasant Hill road lay the fine plantation of
another uncle, Dr. ----, who was, she knew, absent.

The overseer, unaware of the approach of the raiders, would, unless
warned, not have time to run off the valuable horses. By the road the
enemy had taken the distance was several miles, but there was a "short
cut" through the woods, which would bring a rapid rider to the
plantation much sooner, and at once it occurred to our heroine to send
a boy on the only available animal, an old white mule, which had long
enjoyed exemption from all but light work as a reward for faithful
services in the past. Alas! Sally found she had "reckoned without
her"--negro. Abject terror had overcome even the habitual obedience of
the servants, and not one would venture; they only rolled their eyes
wildly, breaking forth into such agony of protestations that the girl
ceased to urge them, and, dismayed at the peril she was powerless to
arrest, sat down to consider matters. She know that the family had
that morning driven to church, and so the carriage-horses were safe
for the present.

But there was the doctor's buggy-horse, a magnificent iron-gray, and
Persimmon, her cousin's riding-horse, a beautiful cream-colored mare
with black, flowing mane and tail, and _Green Persimmon_, her colt,
which was like its mother, and scarcely less beautiful. Besides, there
were horses and mules which, if not so ornamental, were indispensable.
Oh, these must be run off and saved,--but how? Goaded by these
thoughts, and upon the impulse of the moment, the girl ordered a
sidesaddle to be put upon old "Whitey," and, hastily mounting,
belabored the astonished beast until, yielding to the inevitable, he
started off at a smart trot.

Once in the woods, Sally's heart quailed within her; her terror was
extreme. The tr