reckon. That's what I'd do for any man who kept
shoving himself on me when he wasn't wanted, like this feller is shoving
himself on you and your maw."

Marcy made no reply, for nothing he could then think of would have
induced him to carry things as far as that. Hawkins understood this, and
after thinking a moment he added:

"You can give his name to the fust Yankee officer you meet scouting
around out here, or you can leave a note on Beardsley's gallery and
Shelby's, telling them that, if they don't get him off your place in a
little less than no time, some more of their buildings will go up in
smoke. Where's the schooner that Beardsley used to run the blockade in?
He'd ruther lose half his niggers than lose her."

"I know what you mean, but the trouble is I can't prove anything on him.
I can't bear the thought of destroying his property just because I think
he is persecuting me."

"If you should blame everything that has happened to you on him you
would not be fur wrong," said Hawkins earnestly. "He's mighty savage
agin you for not trying to make that gunboat cap'n quit putting him in
irons----"

"How in the name of common sense could I stop it?" cried Marcy. "I
didn't volunteer to go on that boat (I blame Jonas for that), and would
Captain Benton have paid any attention to me if I had interceded for
Beardsley? I might have brought myself into difficulty by it."

"Course," replied Hawkins. "A blind man could see that, but all the same
Beardsley means to even up with you 'cause he was ironed and you wasn't.
He is first leftenant of the Home Guards, Colonel Shelby being the
captain, and he's going to take you out'n your bed some night and send
you to Williamston."

"What for?" exclaimed Marcy.

"And put you in jail there," continued Hawkins. "The lock-up is jammed
full of Union men already, but they'll find room for one more. And mind
you, after you onct get in you'll not come out till you promise to 'list
in the Confederate army. That's the way they are doing now to put
patriotism into people who aint got any."

"Do you know when the Home Guards intend to come to our house?"

"No, I don't. I wisht I did, so't I could tell you when to be on the
watch for 'em; but that's one of the things they aint told me, and the
only way I can think of for you to beat 'em is to be on your guard night
and day, beginning now."

While this conversation was going on Marcy and his companion had been
riding slowly in the dire