ppiness
and mirth-making!" said Rachel, with a shudder.

"Yes, an' they seem ter want ter do the very things thet'll show ther
contempt o' righteousness, an' provoke the wrath o' the Lord. Thar,
where ye see thet house, all lit up from the basement ter the look-out
on the ruf, is whar one o' the most 'ristocratic families in
all Tennessee lives. There datter is bein' married to-night, an'
Major-Gineral Polk, the biggest gun in all these 'ere parts, next ter
ole Bragg, an' who is also 'Piscopalian Bishop o' Tennessee, does the
splicin'. They've got ther parlors, whar they'll dance, carpeted with
'Merican flags, so thet the young bucks an' gals kin show ther despisery
of the banner thet wuz good enough for ther fathers, by trampin' over
hit all night. But we'll show hit ter 'em in a day or two whar they
won't feel like cuttin' pigeon-wings over hit. Ye jes stand still an'
see the salvation o' the Lord."

"I hope we will," said Rachel, her horror of the storm that was about to
break giving away to indignation at the treatment of her country's flag.
"Shan't we go on? My long ride has made me very tired and very hungry,
and I know my horse is the same."

Shortly after crossing the river they passed a large tent, with a number
of others clustered around it. All were festooned with Rebel flags, and
brilliantly lighted. A band came up in front of the principal one and
played the "Bonnie Blue Flag."

"Thet's ole Gineral Bragg's headquarters," explained Fortner. "He's the
king bee of all the Rebels in these heah parts, an' they think he kin
'bout make the sun stand still ef he wants ter."

They cantered on into the town, and going more slowly through the great
public square and the more crowded streets, came at last to a modest
house, standing on a corner, and nearly hidden by vines and shrubbery.

A peculiar knock caused the door to open quickly, and before Rachel was
hardly aware of it, she was standing inside a comfortable room, so
well lighted that her eyes took some little time to get used to such a
change.

When they did so she saw that she was in the presence of a slender,
elderly woman, whose face charmed her.

"This is yer Aunt Debby Brill," said Fortner, dryly, "who ye came so fur
ter see, an' who's bin 'spectin' ye quite anxiously."

"Ye're very welcome, my dear," said Aunt Debby, after a moment's
inspection which seemed to be entirely satisfactory. "Jest lay off yer
things thar on the bed, an' come out ter