while from the opposite direction she saw another picture
she had not yet mentioned.

"If you are wearied, Aunt Selina, we will postpone the story for another
day," suggested Mrs. Talmage.

"Oh, no! please don't!" begged the excited children.

"Oh, Flutey, I simply couldn't wait until to-morrow to find out what
happened," cried Ruth, beseechingly.

Aunt Selina smiled at the children, and Uncle Ben added: "They are
right! I don't want to wait either!"

"Really! is it as good as that?"

"Good! I should say it is! It's a big 'seller' if it was only in a
book!" returned Uncle Ben.

"Well, then, after the magazine is done with it suppose we sell it to a
publisher for the benefit of the children," ventured Aunt Selina,
eagerly.

"Fine idea! We will try it!" said Uncle Ben.

Aunt Selina moved her chair to keep the rays of the setting sun from her
eyes, and then continued with her story.

CHAPTER IX

HOW THE YANKEES TOOK POSSESSION

"I think the rest of this story is the most interesting of all,"
murmured Aunt Selina, as she permitted her memory to roam in years long
gone.

The children waited patiently for Aunt Selina to begin and, after a
short moment, she sat up erect, looking fearfully out over the lawn, and
spoke hurriedly.

"Right there before our very eyes we saw the Yankee regiment tear down
the lane and swerve toward the road just taken by the Southern boys.
They were still to be seen making for the woods just over the slope of
the hill toward Nashville.

"We heard the captain shout, 'Halt! Aim! Fire!' and, as a volley rang
out, many of the ladies on the piazza screamed or fainted, while Rebecca
and I stood petrified at the result of that happy dinner.

"Almost at the same time the Yankees fired there came the rattle of
musketry from the woods which the boys had reached.

"From the veranda I saw several of the Yankees' horses leap up and two
of them rolled over on the ground. One man threw up his hands, fell over
on his horse's neck, and dropped his gun. The horse, frightened, started
galloping directly toward the house. Tim, who was coming down the side
steps, ran forward and caught hold of the bridle. Mr. Crudup and some of
his friends lifted the young soldier from the saddle and carefully
carried him up the piazza steps, and placed him on the floor.

"While much of my attention was distracted by this incident, the company
of Yankees spurred their horses on toward the patch of woods wh