ed
houses grew more bitter.

The army was now pouring in by every road and Colonel Winchester and his
staff sought quarters. They were on the verge of exhaustion. All their
clothing was wet and they were discolored with mud. They felt that they
were bound to have rest and cleanliness.

The victorious troops were making their camp, wherever they could find
dry ground, and soon they were building the fires for cooking. But many
of the officers were assigned to the residences, and Colonel Winchester
and his staff were directed by the general to take quarters in a large
colonial house, standing on a broad lawn, amid the finest magnolias and
live oaks that Dick had ever seen.

Remembering an earlier experience during the Shiloh campaign Colonel
Winchester and his young officers approached the house with some
reluctance. In ordinary times it must have been brilliant with life. Two
little fountains were playing on either side of the graveled walk that
led to the front door. After the old fashion, three or four marble
statues stood in the shrubbery. Everything indicated wealth. Probably
the town house of a great planter, reflected Dick. In Mississippi a man
sometimes owned as many as a thousand slaves, and lived like a prince.

The house offered them no welcome. Its doors and windows were closed,
but Dick had seen thin smoke rising from a chimney in the rear. He
expected that they would have to force the door, but at the first knock
it was thrown open by a tall, thin woman of middle years. The look she
gave them was full of bitter hatred--Dick sometimes thought that
women could hate better than men--but her manner and bearing showed
distinction. He, as well as his comrades, took her to be the lady of the
house.

"We ask your pardon, madame, for this intrusion," said Colonel
Winchester, "but we are compelled to occupy your house a while. We
promise you as little trouble as possible."

"We ask no consideration of any kind from men who have come to despoil
our country and ruin its people," she said icily.

Colonel Winchester flushed.

"But madame," he protested, "we do not come to destroy."

"I do not care to argue with you about it," she said in the same lofty
tone, "and also you need not address me as madame. I am Miss Woodville."

Dick started.

"Does this house belong to Colonel John Woodville?" he asked.

"It does not," she replied crisply, "but it belongs to his elder
brother, Charles Woodville, who is also a