" said the mistress of the house, haughtily. "I am glad to
say, however, that I hardly think you will find them."

"Madam, I know they are here," said the young soldier positively, but
with great politeness. "I have positive information to that effect.
They arrived last evening and have not left since. Their horses are
still in the stable. I am sorry to be forced to do violence to my
feelings, but I must search the house. Come, men."

"I doubt not you have found their horses," began the lady, but she was
interrupted by Lucy Ann, who entered at the moment with a plate of
fresh corn-cakes, and caught the last part of the sentence.

"Come along, Mister," she said, "I'll show you myself," and she set
down her plate, took the candle from the table, and walked to the
door, followed by the soldiers.

"Lucy Ann!" exclaimed her mistress; but she was too much amazed at the
girl's conduct to say more.

"I know whar dey is!" Lucy Ann continued, taking no notice of her
mistress. They heard her say, as she was shutting the door, "Y' all
come with me; I 'feared they gone; ef they ain't, I know whar they
is!"

"Open every room," said the officer.

"Oh, yes, sir; I gwine ketch 'em for you," she said, eagerly opening
first one door, and then the other, "that is, ef they ain' gone. I
mighty 'feared they gone. I seen 'em goin' out the back way about a
little while befo' you all come,--but I thought they might 'a' come
back. Mister, ken y' all teck me 'long with you when you go?" she
asked the officer, in a low voice. "I want to be free."

"I don't know; we can some other time, if not now. We are going to set
you all free."

"Oh, glory! Come 'long, Mister; let's ketch 'em. They ain't heah, but
I know whar dey is."

The soldiers closely examined every place where it was possible a man
could be concealed, until they had been over all the lower part of the
house.

Lucy Ann stopped. "Dey's gone!" she said positively.

The officer motioned to her to go up stairs.

"Yes, sir, I wuz jes' goin' tell you we jes' well look up-stairs,
too," she said, leading the way, talking all the time, and shading the
flickering candle with her hand.

The little group, flat on the floor against the wall in their dark
retreat, could now hear her voice distinctly. She was speaking in a
confidential undertone, as if afraid of being overheard.

"I wonder I didn't have sense to get somebody to watch 'em when they
went out," they heard her say.

"Sh