, he left the room as he spoke, she following close
behind, a pistol in one hand, a lamp and match-box in the other.

Silently they groped their way over the stairs, through the halls and
corridors, till they reached a side door, which Mr. Travilla cautiously
unbarred.

"Who is there?" he asked scarcely above his breath.

"I, sir," and Mr. Leland stepped in and fell fainting to the floor.

Elsie had set her lamp upon a table, and laid her pistol beside it, and
while her husband carefully secured the door again, she struck a light
and brought it near.

Together they stooped over the prostrate form.

"He is not dead?" she asked with a shudder.

"No, no: only a faint; but, see, he is wounded! Your keys, wife!"

"Here," she said, taking them from her pocket, where, with rare presence
of mind, she had thrust them ere leaving her room.

They hastened to apply restoratives, and bind up the wound more
thoroughly than Mrs. Leland had been able to do it.

Restored to consciousness, Leland gave a brief account of the affair,
refreshed himself with food and drink set before him by Elsie's fair
hands, and then was conducted by Mr. Travilla to an upper room in a wing
of the building, dating back to the old days of Indian warfare. It was
distant from the apartments in use by the family, and had a large closet
entered by a concealed door in the wainscoting.

"Here I think you will be safe," remarked his host. "No one but my wife
and myself yet knows of your coming, and it shall be kept secret from
all but Aunt Chloe and Uncle Joe, two tried and faithful servants.
Except Dr. Barton; he is safe and will be needed to extract the ball."

"Yes; and my wife and boy and the Dinsmores," added Leland with a faint
smile. "Travilla, my good friend, I can never thank you enough for this
kindness."

"Tut, man! 'tis nothing! are we not told to lay down our lives for the
brethren? Let me help you to bed; I fear that leg will keep you there
for some days."

"I fear so indeed, but am sincerely thankful to have gotten off so
well," replied Leland, accepting the offered assistance.

"A most comfortable, nay luxurious prison cell," he remarked cheerily,
glancing about upon the elegant and tasteful furniture, "truly the lines
have fallen to me in pleasant places."

Mr. Travilla smiled. "We will do what we can to make amends for the loss
of liberty. It can not be far from daybreak now: I will remove the
light, throw open the shutters and