e did not remember to have been
used by either of the Leffingwells. A third signal of alarm was promptly
registered on his brain.

He leaned from the bed and pulling aside the curtain a half an inch
or so, looked into the room. The fire had died down except a few coals
which cast but a faint light. Yet it was sufficient to show Dick that
the two Leffingwells had not gone to bed. They were sitting fully
clothed before the fireplace, and three other persons were with them.

As Dick stared his eyes grew more used to the half dusk and he saw
clearly. The three strangers were young men, all armed heavily, and the
resemblance of two of them to the Leffingwells was so striking that he
had no doubt they were their sons. Now he understood about those empty
stalls. The third man, who had been sitting with his shoulder toward
Dick, turned his face presently, and the boy with difficulty repressed
an exclamation. It was the one who had reined his horse across the road
to stop him. A fourth and conclusive signal of alarm was registered upon
his brain.

He began to dress rapidly and without noise. Meanwhile he listened
intently and could hear the words they spoke. The woman was pleading
with them to let him go. He was only a harmless lad, and while these
were dark days, a crime committed now might yet be punished.

"A harmless boy," said the strange man. "He's quick, an' strong enough,
I tell you. You should have seen how he rode me down, and then shot
Garmon in the arm."

"I'd like to have that hoss of his," said the elder Leffingwell. "He's
the finest brute I ever laid eyes on. Sech power an' sech action. I
noticed him at once, when Mason come ridin' up. S'pose we jest take the
hoss and send the boy on."

"A hoss like that would be knowed," protested the woman. "What if sojers
come lookin' fur him!"

"We could run him off in the hills an' keep him there a while," said
Leffingwell. "I know places where sojers wouldn't find that hoss in a
thousand years. What do you say to that, Kerins?"

"Good as fur as it goes," replied Kerins, "but it don't go fur enough
by a long shot. The Yanks whipped the Johnnies in a big battle at Mill
Spring. Me an' my pardners have been hangin' 'roun' in the woods, seein'
what would happen. Now, we know that this boy rode straight from the
tent of General Thomas hisself. He's a Union sojer, an' young as he is,
he's an officer. He wouldn't be sent out by General Thomas hisself 'less
it was on big bu