ne of Beardsley's wagons, and Mrs. Gray and Marcy
listened to his story in the kitchen--the only room about the house to
which the man had ever been admitted. And the kitchen wasn't in the
house, but a short distance away from it, and under its own roof. The
overseer made his statement to Mrs. Gray in much the same words that he
had made it to Marcy; and when the lady made a mistake by saying that,
after the experience he had already had with the Union men, she should
think he would be afraid to return to that plantation, the man answered
in tones so insolent and savage that Marcy felt inclined to resent them
on the spot.

"Them villains toted me off onct, Miss Gray, but they won't never do it
again. I know who they were, I've got friends enough around me to hang
every one of 'em, and I'm going to do it before I ever leave this place.
You hear me?"

Those were the words he used, but his manner seemed to say: "I am on
this plantation with the intention of remaining. I came for a purpose,
and you dare not turn me off." Marcy understood that to be his meaning,
and made up his mind that he and Hanson would have a settlement in a
very few days. Mrs. Gray understood him, but she did not give expression
to the fears that came upon her, for she knew that by so doing she would
dishearten her son who, just, then, needed all the encouragement she
could give him.

It began to grow dark about supper time, and Julius came slouching into
the sitting-room as if he had no particular business there, but in
reality to listen to the instructions that Marcy had promised to have
ready for him at that time.

"You will find the guns and things that you are to hide on the floor of
my room," said the boy. "My revolvers, fowling-piece, and a good supply
of ammunition are on my bed; but you must not touch them. They are to go
with us to the swamp. Be as sly as you can, for, if the Home Guards
catch you at the work, they will give you something you never had yet--a
striped shirt."

During the next hour Julius was in and out of the house several times,
and on each occasion he took something away with him; while Marcy and
his mother sat side by side on the sofa trying, as Marcy put it, "to do
talking enough to last them during the separation that was soon to
come." At last Julius moved silently along the hall and appeared at the
door of the sitting-room with a heavy valise in his hand, and a bundle
of quilts and blankets thrown over his shoulde