ction of Nashville. Just before they came
within sight of the town they met a man dressed in a ragged uniform, and
riding a mule that looked as though it had served through two or three
hard campaigns. Marcy recognized him as a poor white of the Kelsey
stamp, and Hawkins told him in a whisper that he was a paroled prisoner
like himself, a friend of his, a member of his company and mess, and
also a Home Guard whom the officers were not afraid to trust. If Marcy
would ride on and leave him alone with the man, he might be able to
obtain some information from him. Marcy was glad to agree to this
programme, and it was duly carried out. He went ahead and waited half an
hour in Nashville, and might have remained a still longer time had he
not seen Hawkins ride a short distance down the road from the first
turn, and then wheel his horse and ride back again out of sight. Taking
this for a signal, Marcy mounted his filly and set out for home; and, as
he expected, found Hawkins in the lonely place in the road where he had
held two interviews with Aleck Webster. He thought the man looked very
sober, but before he could speak of it Hawkins said, in a thrilling
whisper:

"Mister Marcy, you aint safe in this here settlement one hour longer. I
dunno but you had oughter be out of it now."

"What did that friend of yours tell you?" asked the boy, with a
desperate effort to appear calm, although he knew that his face was as
white as it could be.

"He said the Home Guards have got things fixed jest as they want 'em,
and that they are liable to begin operations any time," answered
Hawkins, who looked as uneasy as Marcy felt. "Beardsley won't hear to
nothing but that you must be got rid of the very fust thing. You know
too much to be let loose any longer."

"I know that Beardsley was a smuggler, and believe I could have made
trouble for him by saying that much to Captain Benton; but I did not do
it," replied Marcy. "I hadn't the heart to do it, and neither did I
think he would dare do anything to me so long as the Yankees are so
thick about here."

"There's where you made the biggest kind of a mistake," said the rebel,
in a tone of disgust. "I don't see why you were so easy on him when you
know that he is doing all he can to pester you. My advice to you is to
leave this very night."

"But where shall I go?" cried Marcy. "And how do I know but they will
take some sort of vengeance on my mother if they fail to find me?"

"Beardsley wo