soldiers rode on. When they had gone about
three hundred yards they stopped, held a brief consultation, and finally
returned. The oldest man, who seemed to be the speaker, said:

"We have been struck with your answers to our questions, and have come
back to confide to you our situation and ask your aid. We are not," he
continued, "what we seem to be."

"If ye are not what ye seem to be, what are ye?"

"We are escaped rebel prisoners trying to make our way south. At least I
am, and that young fellow there was in this fight yesterday and got cut
off from his command. We believe you are a friend to our cause, and we
must have your advice and aid, for we are here without knowledge of people
or country."

"Well," said the Irishman, "if ye are decaving me the sin is all yer own.
If ye be honest an' true men, follow my advice and all will be well. I
live just two miles up the road, the first white frame house on the left
hand side of the road, with a barn in front of it. The country is full of
spies, an' you must be careful. Just ye ride up where I live, get off your
horses and go in. Make my wife take the horses to the stable and feed 'em.
Then order your dinner, an' when you've eaten it, drive the wimmen and
children out of the house and raise the divil ginerilly."

The soldiers went on, and the Irishman resumed his work. In less than an
hour a neighbor rode up in hot haste, told him the Yankees had taken
possession of his house and driven wife and children into the road.

"Ye say they have?" responded he, laying down his hammer and serenely
lighting his pipe.

"Yes, yes! come on and do something for your family."

"Holy saints and angels, defend us! What kin I do? It's not me all by
meself, neighbor, that kin whip out the whole Yankee army. Gineril Lee
an' Stonewall Jackson have been thrying it for some time, an' faith, if
they can't, how kin I?"

The dismayed messenger returned to report to the excited wife and children
that the husband and father would do nothing for them. Again and again was
a messenger sent, but to no purpose. The Irishman sat and plied his hammer
to his rocks in serene quiet.

About four in the afternoon a rockaway drove up, stopped a few yards away,
and a lady got out, accompanied by a little girl, and approached the man
at the rock-pile. They were Mrs. Marsden and Roberta.

"May I ask," said the lady hesitatingly, "if two soldiers dressed in
Federal uniform have passed here this morning;