aide shall deliver them at Three
Corners in an hour--will that be too early?"

"No; which aide? There should be no mistake."

"There will be none. I will send Lieutenant West, and he shall act as
escort as far as the outer pickets; beyond that--"

"Wit and good luck, of course. What is the word?"

"'Cumberland'; now listen, and repeat exactly what I say to Billie." His
voice fell into lower, more confidential tones, and, listen as I would,
I could catch only now and then a word, or detached sentence. "The upper
road"; "yes, the wide detour"; "coming in by the rear will be safer";
"that isn't a bad story"; "he's a tartar to lie too"; "just the thing,
Major, just the thing"; then, "But that's enough for the outlines;
details must take care of themselves. Let's waste no more time; there
are only four more hours of darkness."

The two men separated hurriedly with a warm hand-clasp, the stocky
general entering the tent, and brusquely addressing some one within,
while the major swung into the saddle of the waiting horse, and driving
in the spurs rode swiftly away, instantly disappearing.

There was no doubt as to my own duty. By the merest accident I had
already become possessed of most important information. What it was all
about was still only guess-work, yet it was evidently enough a most
serious matter. I could better serve the cause of the Union by
intercepting these despatches, and running down this spy, than by
carrying out Sheridan's original instructions. And it seemed to me I
could do it; that I already knew a way in which this might be
accomplished. Our army had held all this ground only a few months
before, and I recalled clearly to mind the exact spot where the aide was
to meet the despatch-bearer. The "Three Corners"; surely that must be
where the roads met at the creek ford, with the log meeting house
perched on the hill above. It would be to the west of where I was, and
not more than two miles distant.

CHAPTER II

AFTER THE DESPATCH-BEARER

I was cool-headed, and accustomed to this species of adventure, or I
should never have been there. Yet, I confess my nerves tingled as I
crept cautiously forward through the fringe of bushes, seeking the exact
spot where the major had disappeared down what must have been some
species of road. There were sentinels posted about the tent; I saw the
silhouette of one, and heard several voices conversing gruffly as I
slunk past, yet could not definitely locate t