by his bed, and on the wall was a picture of Miss
Alice.

Long into the night they talked, the young man asking them many
questions and chief of all, of Alice. They could see that he was
thinking of her, and often he would stop before the picture and look
at it and fall into a reverie.

"It seems to me but yesterday," he said, "since I left her and went
off to the war. She is not to know that I am here--not yet. You must
hide me if she runs in," he smiled. "I must see her first in my own
way."

He noticed Jack Bracken's cot by his bedside and smiled.

"You see, I have been takin' keer of you so long," said Jack after
the old servants had left them to themselves, "that I can't git out
of the habit. I thought you wus never comin' home."

"It's good we came when we did, Jack."

"You ought to have let me shoot."

The young Captain shook his head: "O Jack--Jack, I've seen murder
enough--it seems but yesterday since I was at Franklin."

"Do you know who's at the head of all this?" asked Jack. "It's
Richard Travis."

"The Bishop told me all, Jack--and about my grandfather's will. But I
shall divide it with him--it is not fair."

Jack watched the strong, tall man, as he walked to and fro in the
room, and a proud smile spread over the outlaw's face.

"What a man you are--what a man you are, Cap'n Tom!"

"It's good to be one's self again, Jack. How can I ever repay you for
what you have done for me?"

"You've paid it long ago--long ago. Where would Jack Bracken have
been if you hadn't risked yo' life to cut me down, when the rope"--

Captain Tom put his hand on Jack's shoulder affectionately: "We'll
forget all those horrible things--and that war, which was hell,
indeed. Jack--Jack--there is a new life ahead for us both," he said,
smiling happily.

"For you--yes--but not for me"--and he shook his head.

"Do you remember little Jack, Cap'n Tom--him that died? I seem to
think mo' of him now than ever--"

"It is strange, Jack--but I do distinctly; an' our home in the cave,
an' the beautiful room we had, an' the rock portico overlaid with
wild honeysuckle and Jackson vines overlooking the grand river."

"Jack, do you know we must go there this week and see it again? I
have plans to carry out before making my identity known."

An hour afterwards the old servants heard Captain Tom step out into
the yard. It was then past midnight--the most memorable night of all
their lives. Neither of the old servants could sl