"Consignment
will be shipped to-morrow night. Reach Malvern next morning. Invoice by
mail." This was signed by the firm of factors with whom Meriwether
Clopton had had dealings for many years. It was the form of announcement
that had been agreed on, and to Mr. Sanders the message read, "The
prisoners will go to Atlanta to-morrow night, and they will reach
Malvern the next morning. This information can be relied on."

"It's a joy to see you, Colonel," cried Mr. Sanders. "One more day of
waitin' would 'a' pulled the rivets out. You know Miss Nan Dorrington,
don't you, Colonel Blasengame? I lay you used to dandle her on your knee
when she was a baby."

The Colonel bowed lower to Nan than if she had been a queen. "You are
not to go to the tavern," remarked Mr. Sanders. "Meriwether Clopton
wants the messenger to go straight to his house, an' he'll be all the
gladder bekaze it's you. Gus Tidwell will drive you home in his buggy in
the cool of the evenin', an' you can leave your hoss at Clopton's for a
day or two. Ef you see Tidwell, Nan, please tell him that the Colonel is
at Clopton's. I reckon you'll be willin' to buss me, honey, the next
time you see me."

"If you have earned it, Mr. Sanders," said Nan, trying to smile.

Thereupon, Mr. Sanders waved his hand miscellaneously, as he would have
described it, and moved away at a clipping gait, stirring up quite a
cloud of dust as he went. He reached Halcyondale, and at once sought out
Major Tomlin Perdue, and found that a telegram had already been sent to
Captain Buck Sanford, whose prompt reply over the wire had been. "All
skue vee," which was as satisfactory as any other form of reply would
have been--more so, perhaps, for it showed that the Captain was in high
good-humour.

Mr. Tidwell and Colonel Blasengame arrived in time to eat a late
supper, and the next morning found them all ready to take the train for
Malvern. Major Perdue and Mr. Sanders were in high feather. Somehow
their spirits always rose when a doubtful issue was to be faced. On the
other hand, Colonel Blasengame and Mr. Tidwell were somewhat
thoughtful--the Colonel because he had an idea that they were trying to
"crowd him into a back seat," as he expressed it, and Mr. Tidwell
because it had occurred to him that his presence might tend to
jeopardise the case of his son. They were not gloomy; on the contrary
they were cheerful; but their spirits failed to run as high as those of
Mr. Sanders and Major Per