s he surveyed the
fine form and handsome face of the officer, who appeared to be not more
than a year or two older than the victor.

"I have no alternative; we are outnumbered, and surrounded by your
force," replied the Confederate lieutenant solemnly and sadly.

"I sympathize with you, Lieutenant, though I was compelled to do my
duty," replied Deck; and even while he gloried in the success of his
command, he was sincerely sorry for the misfortune of the officer, whom
he had seen in the road fighting bravely for the cause in this
particular field, which was lost from the beginning. "But it is no
disgrace or dishonor to you or your brave soldiers to be beaten by
double your number."

"I thank you, Lieutenant; and I only regret that we are obliged to be
enemies," returned the officer very courteously. "Am I at liberty to
attend to my wounded now?"

"Certainly, sir; and I hope your loss is not so great as it appears to
be at this moment," answered Deck.

After an action as hotly contested as this skirmish had been, it was
surprising how few had been killed outright. Only two of the Riverlawns
had fallen never to rise again; but six of the twenty-two Confederates
who had gone into the action were past human aid. Four of the blue, and
nine of gray, had been disabled by wounds more or less severe, while
hardly a single man on either side had escaped without being slightly
wounded.

"Have you a surgeon in your detachment, Lieutenant Logan?"

"I have not. He was left with the other platoon near Breedings; but I
hope you have one."

"I have not. Ours is with the main body," replied Deck; and the
Confederate officer returned to his men.

"Who are the killed in our platoon, Life?" said Deck, when the sergeant
came to the lieutenant for further orders.

"I don't like to say so, Leftenant; but your cousin, Orly Lyon, is one
of them."

"Poor fellow!" exclaimed Deck. "I am sorry he has finished his campaign
so soon; but I am glad he did not die among the enemies of the Union."

"But he fought like a hero in the action, for I was near him when he
fell under the sabre of the lieutenant yonder," added Sergeant Sluder.

"Who was the other man killed, Life?" asked Deck.

"Barron, another of the new recruits."

"I am sorry to lose him, for he was a very promising soldier, though he
had not been sufficiently drilled. Bury the dead in the field on the
right," said Deck as he started for the baggage-wagons, where the
wounde