door again. For a long while he stood there,
vague-eyed, silent. It was nearly sunset when once more he drew his
sabre, examined it carefully, bent it over one knee, and snapped the
blade in two.

Then, with a last look at the sky, and standing very erect, he closed
the door, set his back firmly against it, drew his revolver, and looked
curiously into the muzzle.

A moment later the racket of the shot echoed through the deserted house.

V

RED FERRY

When Private Allen of Kay's Cavalry deserted with headquarters' dispatch
pouch, and headed straight for Dixie, there was a great deal of
consternation and excitement on the north bank of the river, and a
considerable amount of headlong riding. But on the tenth day he slipped
through the cordon, got into the woods, and was making for the river
when a patrol shot at him near Gopher Creek, but lost him in the
impenetrable cypress swamp beyond.

However, the pursuit was pushed forward to the very edge of the enemy's
country; Kay's troopers patrolled the north bank of the river and
watched every road and ford; east and west Ripley's and Haynes's
brigades formed impassable curtains.

Somewhere in this vast corral lay hidden a desperate, starving man; and
it was only a question of time before the hunted creature broke cover
for the water.

That a trooper had deserted with arms and equipment was generally known;
but that, in his nocturnal flight, he had also taken vitally important
papers was known at first only to Kay and later to the Special
Messenger, who was sent to him post-haste from corps headquarters when
the fugitive headed for the river.

Now, the south bank of the stream being in the enemy's territory, Kay
had not ventured to station patrols above the clay banks opposite, lest
rumor of invasion bring Stuart's riders to complicate a man chase and
the man escape in the confusion.

And he explained this to the Special Messenger at their first
conference.

"It ought to be guarded," insisted the Messenger tranquilly. "There are
three good fords and a ferry open to him."

"I hold the fords on this side," argued Kay; "the ferryboat lies in the
eel-grass on the south shore."

"Stuart's riders might cross if they heard of this trouble, sir!"

"And if they see Union troops on the south bank they'll cross, sure pop.
It won't do, Messenger. If that fellow attempts the fords we'll catch
him, sure; if he swims we may get him in the water. The Lord knows I
w