the jewellery, and also the mysterious missing paper. To make
sure that it was the right document it had to be read, and the reading
made Noah Lyon and the other members of his household smile.

"I do not believe in the institution of slavery," wrote Duncan Lyon,
"and I hope ere this paper is brought to light that it will be abolished
in the State of Kentucky. If it is not abolished, I hereby urge upon my
brother Noah to set the slaves free,--doing it in the following manner:
All under eighteen years of age to be held until they can care for
themselves, and the others to be freed at the rate of one every two
months, starting with the oldest. This will make it easy on him. If the
slaves wish to remain at Riverlawn, I urge that they be allowed to
remain, at fair wages, so long as they perform their work faithfully."

Such was the contents of the much-discussed letter, and Noah Lyon said
he was not surprised. "It pleases me to know that Duncan thought as I
think," he said to Deck. "And I am glad to remember that our slaves are
practically slaves no longer. Levi Bedford has already put every hand at
Riverlawn on the pay-roll, and the only reason why they don't leave is
because they don't want to leave."

A month later the old colonel returned to his plantation home, but
Captain Artie remained at Chattanooga. The reason for this was, that the
wounded captain had found Rosebel Greene not only the best of nurses but
likewise the loveliest girl he had ever met. As the days went by and
Artie grew stronger, their friendship increased, and it was with tears
in her eyes that she saw him depart at last for the seat of war, now
miles away.

As the days passed the gateway to the southeast was thrown wide open,
and Sherman began that march to the sea which brought him such undying
fame. With the general went the Riverlawns, through many a fiery battle,
doing their duty as of yore and winning fresh laurels day by day. To
tell of all these happenings would require many volumes, and still not
one half would be told. The war went on, and commanders came and went,
but the Riverlawns kept in their place, well to the front, no matter
what the danger. In one battle Colonel Gordon was shot down, and then
Deck became the commander, a position he held until that final surrender
of Lee to Grant at Appomattox.

The Union was saved! How the news flashed hither and thither over the
telegraph wires! The church bells rang, bonfires leaped up to th