d had been carried.

Life had detailed a burial party, and Logan had done the same for the
men he had lost. Shovels and picks had been supplied to both from one
of the wagons. Having attended to this duty, the orderly sergeant was
sent to the field to ascertain the condition of the prisoners in charge
of Corporal Tilford. They still sat upon their horses, with the right
hand made fast at the crupper-strap, and doubtless were anxiously
awaiting the result of the skirmish in the road.

"How goes it, Sergeant Knox?" asked Captain Coonly when Life came
within speaking distance of him.

"All right," replied the big Kentuckian.

"Haven't the regulars of the Confederate army licked you?"

"Not much; but they have been licked out of their boots, with the third
part of them killed or badly wounded. You have no show for gittin' out
of this scrape yet."

Tilford reported that the prisoners had not made any trouble; for they
all declared that the Riverlawns would be beaten, and they were waiting
to be set at liberty. The sentinels over them guarded them very
closely, and afforded them no opportunity to make a demonstration, even
if they had been disposed to do so; for the soldiers with loaded
carbines in their hands, and with orders to shoot any one who did not
obey orders, or who attempted to escape, was a fact patent to them all.
Life was satisfied with his inspection, and hastened back to the
wagons.

When he reached the road, he met two well-dressed gentlemen coming out
of the field on the left, from the direction of Colonel Halliburn's
house. Both of them were mounted, and were provided with saddle-bags.
He was a native of Kentucky, and he promptly recognized them as
doctors.

"Mornin', gentlemen," said he, riding towards them. "I reckon you uns
be doctors?"

"You are not far from right, soldier," replied the elder of the two.

"Be you Secesh or Union?" demanded Life, as though he had the right to
put the question.

"Divide the question, and each can answer for himself," replied the one
who had spoken before. "I am opposed to making Kentucky the
battleground of this war; and if I fought on either side, it would be
with the Confederates."

"Be you of the same mind?" asked Life, turning to the other.

"I am sorry to differ from my friend, Dr. McNairy; but I am a Union
man," answered the younger doctor, though he appeared to be at least
forty years old. "But what has happened here?" he continued, surveying
the s