round.

[Illustration: SAUNTERING INTO THE DEPOT THEY GAZED CURIOUSLY AROUND.]

"What's that?" asked Calhoun, pointing at the clicking telegraph
instrument.

"That, my boy," said the operator, patronizingly, "is a telegraphic
instrument. Did you never see one before?"

"No. What makes it tick?"

"Lightning, my son, lightning; that's a lightning-catcher."

Calhoun opened his eyes in wonder. "Jes' heah that," he said to Emory.
"What is it fer?" he continued, turning his attention to the operator once
more.

"To send messages," replied the operator, amused at the ignorance
displayed. "With this little instrument, I can talk with any one at
Louisville or Nashville."

"What's yo-uns givin' we-uns," drawled Calhoun. "Do yo' take we-uns fo' a
fule?"

A guard who stood idly by laughed long and loud. "A fine specimen of
Southern chivalry," he chuckled.

Just then there came the sound of cheering, pistol shots, and the clatter
of horses' hoofs, mingled with affrighted cries.

"By heavens! the town is being raided," shouted the operator, as he sprang
to his instrument.

"Stop!" thundered Calhoun. "Touch that instrument and you are a dead man."

The operator looked up amazed, only to find himself covered with a
revolver.

The guard at the same time was looking into the muzzle of a weapon held by
Emory.

"Drop that gun," said Emory to the trembling man.

The gun went clanging to the floor.

"You two stand there in the corner with your hands above your heads,"
commanded Calhoun.

The operator and the guard obeyed with alacrity. "Keep them covered with
your revolver, Emory," continued Calhoun, "while I see what I can find.
Think I will pocket these dispatches first; they may be of use."

Just then he glanced out of the window and saw four or five soldiers
running toward the depot. There might be more following. Giving the
telegraphic instrument a kick which sent it flying, he started to leave in
a hurry. Then noticing the blanched faces of the soldiers, as they came
rushing into the depot, he called out, "No use running, Emory, we can take
the whole crowd prisoners, green as we look."

And they did. There was no fight in the frightened men.

When the excitement was over Calhoun looked over the dispatches which he
had captured, and found that a passenger train was due from the south in
half an hour, and that it had orders to wait at Cave City for a freight
train to pass, coming from the north. This was goo