It was midwinter,
and the cold crept into his very bones. The warmth of his body thawed the
frozen ground until he sank into it. When night came it froze again, and
when he tried to rise he found he was frozen fast. It was with difficulty
that he released himself without sacrificing his clothing. For the next
seven days he hardly remembers how he existed. Travelling by night and
hiding by day, begging a morsel of food here and there, he at last reached
the Confederate lines near Dalton.

CHAPTER XXIV.

CHIEF OF THE SECRET SERVICE.

"Is this General Shackelford?" asked Calhoun of a distinguished-looking
Confederate officer.

"It is; what can I do for you, my boy? You look as if you had been seeing
hard times."

"I have," answered Calhoun; "I have just escaped from the North. I am one
of Morgan's men."

"Are you one of the officers who escaped with Morgan?" asked the General,
with much interest.

"Yes and no. I was not in prison with Morgan, but I escaped South with
him."

"I had a nephew with Morgan," continued the General. "We have not heard
from him since Morgan was captured. The report is that he was killed in
the last fight that Morgan had before he was captured. Poor Cal!" and the
General sighed.

"Uncle Dick, do you not know me?" asked Calhoun, in a broken voice.

General Shackelford stared at Calhoun in astonishment. "It cannot be, yes,
it is Cal!" he exclaimed, and the next moment he had Calhoun by the hand,
and was nearly shaking it off.

"And you have been in a Northern prison, have you?" asked the General.

"No, but I was wounded near unto death. Fortunately I fell into kind
hands."

"But your looks, Cal; you are nothing but skin and bones."

"No wonder. I have not had enough to eat in the last seven days to keep a
bird alive. Then I was none too strong when I started on my journey
south."

"Tell me about it some other time," said the General. "What you want now
is rest and something to eat."

And rest and food Calhoun got.

When he came to tell his story it was listened to with wonder. He was
taken to General Joseph E. Johnston, then in command of the Confederate
forces around Dalton, and the story was repeated.

"You know, I presume," said Johnston, "that Morgan escaped, and is now in
Richmond."

"Yes, I long to be with him," answered Calhoun. "I feel as strong as ever
now."

"Do not be in a hurry to report," said J