t I've tole ye?"

"Yes. Breckenridge's division is on their right, and south of Stone
River. Withers, Cheatham, and Cleburne come next, on the north of the
river, with McCown's division and Wharton's cavalry on the left, as
shown in the sketch, and they are moving heavy forces around to their
left, with the evident intention of falling overwhelmingly on our right
early in the morning."

"Thet's hit. Thet's hit. But lay all the stres ye kin on the movin'
around ter ther left. Thar's mo' mischief in thet than all the rest. Say
thet thar's 20,000 men gwine round thar this arternoon an' evening'. Say
thet thar's the biggest thunder-cloud o' danger thet enny one ever seed.
Say hit over an' over, tell everybody understands hit an' gits ready ter
meet hit. Tell hit till ye've made ev'ry one on 'em understand thet
thar can't be no mistake about hit, an' they must look out fur heeps o'
trouble on ther right. Tell hit ez ye never tole anything afore in yer
life. Tell hit ez ye'd pray God Almighty fur the life o' the one thet
ye love better then all the world beside. An' GIT THAR ter tell hit--git
thru the Rebel lines--ef ye love yer God an' yer country, an' ye want
ter see the brave men who are ter die tomorrer make their deaths count
somethin' to'ard savin' this Union. Hit may be thet yore information'll
save the army from defeat. Hit may be--hit's most likely--thet hit'll
save the lives o' thousands o' brave men who love ther lives even ez yo
an' me loves ourn."

"Trust me to do all that a devoted woman can. I will get through before
daybreak or die in the attempt. But how am I to go?"

"Hide this paper somewhar. Aunt Debby'll fix ye up ez a country gal,
while I'm gittin' yer mar saddled an' bridled with some common harness,
instid o' the fancy fixin's ye hed when ye rode out heah. Ef ye're
stopt, ez ye likely will be, say that ye've been ter town fur the
doctor, an' some medicine fur yer sick mammy, an' are tryin' ter git
back ter yer home on the south fork o' Overall's Creek. Now, go an' git
ready ez quick ez the Lord'll let ye."

As she heard the mare's hoofs in front of the door, Rachel came out with
a "slat-sun-bonnet" on her head, and a long, black calico riding-skirt
over her linsey dress. Fortner gave her attire an approving nod. Aunt
Debby followed her with a bottle. "This is the medicine ye've bin
ter git from Dr. Thacker heah in town," she said, handing the vial.
"Remember the name, fur fear ye mout meet some on