In the sitting room
you were only obeying your master's orders, so I shan't blame you for
that."

At these words Sam was evidently much relieved, and he consented to show
the way by a back path to the side road. With the negro in front of
him, Artie put spurs to his steed, and soon gained the fork where he had
separated from Life Knox. He found the captain of the seventh company
taking it easy under the thick shelter of a clump of trees and some
brush.

"Well, Captain, you've been a long time getting back," he remarked, as
he gazed questioning at Artie with the gun and then at the negro. "Had
some adventure, I reckon?"

"That's it, Life, and there is no time to waste in giving particulars. I
wonder how near the nearest troops are?"

"A company of mounted infantry passed this place less than five minutes
ago."

"Can we overtake them, do you think?"

"I don't see why not. They weren't moving fast. They had struck the
wrong road, and thought some of going back."

"We must bring them back. Come on!" and away went the captain, with Sam
beside him and Life Knox just in advance. As they progressed, Artie told
his tale, to which the tall Kentuckian listened closely.

"You are right," he said, when Artie had concluded. "We must capture
this Gossley by all means; and it will be as well to put a guard over
the mansion and place Colonel Bradner and his wildcat of a wife under
military arrest. There is no telling how much harm that couple has been
doing the Union cause."

Through the rain they soon discerned the company of mounted infantry
returning, having found the mud and quicksands too much for the horses.
They were a body of Michigan men, under the command of Captain Allen
Fordick.

"I am under no special orders, having finished my mission to this
neighborhood," said the captain, when they had told him why he was
wanted. "I'll take hold with pleasure. That spy ought to be captured, if
such a thing is possible. I thought the rebels had given up the spy
business since Williams and Peter were hung."

The captain of the mounted infantry referred to a case which early in
the month had challenged the attention of the entire North and South.
Two young men presented themselves at the headquarters of Colonel Baird
and represented themselves as inspectors from Washington, sent on to
inspect the outposts. They showed proper papers supposed to be signed by
Adjutant General Thomas and by General, afterwards President, Garfie