w."

She looked up a moment at the kind grave face, then with bent head and
hands over her eyes she sobbed out what none but the general could hear.
His voice grew even more distinctly soft as touching her shoulder he
said, "Look at that man. Oh, bring him near--nearer. Now, be sure, is
that the man? Look again! I must be certain."

With a quick motion she pushed his hand from her shoulder as she stood,
and pointing to the brute held by two soldiers cried, "That's him--oh, my
God! Take him away--kill him. Le' me go. Don't you keep me." She looked
about like some hopelessly trapped, wild-eyed animal.

"You may go, of course," said the low-voiced man. "I will set a guard
over your house."

"Don't want no Yankee guard--le' me go--I've got nothin' to guard--I want
to die." She darted away and through the parting groups of men who were
clear enough about what they knew had happened and what should be done.

The dark grey eyes of the General followed her flight for a pitying
instant. Then he remounted, and said to the scared captive, "What have
you got to say?"

"It's all a lie."

The general's face grew stern. He turned and asked for an officer of the
Provost Guard. A captain rode up and saluted. "I have no time to lose in
trying this scoundrel. We can't take along the only witness." He
hesitated a moment. "Let your men tie him to a tree near the road. Let
two of the guard watch him until the rear has gone by. Put a paper on his
breast--make his crime clear, clear." He said a word or two more to the
officer, and then "put on it, '_Left to the justice of General Lee_.'"

"Is that all, sir?" said the amazed officer.

"No--put below, '_U.S. Grant_.' The girl will tell her story. When the
cavalry pass, leave him. Now, gentlemen, the men have had a rest, let us
ride on."

Josiah a hundred feet away heard, "Fall in--fall in." The tired soldiers
rose reluctant and the long line tramped away. Josiah interested sat
still and saw them go by under the dust-laden air. The girl had gone past
her home and into the woods. The guards curiously watched by the marching
men passed near Josiah with their prisoner and busied themselves with
looking among the hazel, scrub oak and sassafras for a large enough tree
near to the road. As they went by, he saw the man.

"My God!" he exclaimed, "it's Peter Lamb." He moved away and lay down
well hidden in the brush. It was a very simple mind which considered this
meeting with the only being