a terrible anxiety. Women were often seen in the
camps at the very verge or close of battle, saying good-bye or looking
for the lost, but she was unusual.

The soldiers stood aside for her respectfully, and she looked about,
until her gaze fell upon the colonel. Then she ran to him, seized him by
the arm, and exclaimed:

"Colonel Winchester! Colonel Winchester!"

"Good heavens, Mrs. Mason! You! How did you come?"

"I was at Danville, not so far from here. Of course I knew that the
armies were about to meet for battle! And it was only two days ago that
I heard the Winchester regiment had come west to join General Buell's
army."

A stalwart and powerful colored woman emerged from the darkness and put
her arm around Mrs. Mason's waist.

"Don't you get too much excited, chile," she said soothingly.

Juliana stood beside her mistress, a very tower of defense, glaring at
the soldiers about them as if she would resent their curiosity.

"I thought I would come and try to see Dick," continued Mrs. Mason. "My
relatives sought to persuade me not to do it. They were right, I know,
but I wanted to come so badly that I had to do it. We slipped away
yesterday, Juliana and I. We stayed at a farmhouse last night, and this
morning we rode through the woods. We expected to be in the camp this
afternoon, but as we were coming to the edge of the forest we heard the
cannon and then the rifles. Through three or four dreadful hours, while
we shook there in the woods, we listened to a roar and thunder that I
would have thought impossible."

"The battle was very fierce and terrible," said Colonel Winchester.

"I don't think it could have been more so. We saw a part of it, but
only a confused and awful sweep of smoke and flame. And now, Colonel
Winchester, where is my boy, Dick?"

Colonel Winchester's face turned deadly pale, and she noticed it at
once. Her own turned to the same pallor, but she did not shriek or
faint.

"You do not know that he is killed?" she said in a low, distinct tone
that was appalling to the other.

"I missed him only a little while ago," said Colonel Winchester, "and
I've been looking for him. But I'm sure he is not dead. He can't be!"

"No, he can't be! I can't think it!" she said, and she looked at the
colonel appealingly.

"If you please, sir," said Pennington, "Lieutenant Warner is missing
also. I think we'll find them together. You remember what happened at
the Second Manassas."

"Yes, Frank, I d