ugh to see that there was something like a frown
on the brow of Mr. Mulgate. He had evidently believed that the daughter
of the millionnaire of Bonnydale was interested in him, and his
inquiries indicated that he expected her to ask about him; but she had
not made the remotest allusion to him. Besides, she was as jolly as she
had been at Glenfield, when war was a matter of the future, which few
believed would ever be realized. She had not grown thin and pale during
her absence from him, and she did not appear to be wasting her sweetness
in pining for him.

"What in the world are you talking about, Mulgate?" suddenly demanded
his companion on his side of the fence. "I thought we were here for
business, and you are talking about some girl."

"She is the lady of whom I spoke to you; she spent the last winter with
her uncle at the Glenfield Plantation. I am interested in her," replied
Mulgate, as though he had given a sufficient excuse for the questions he
had put to Corny.

"Are we to capture her and take her back to the State of Alabama?"
demanded the other, who seemed to be a gentleman of forty at least.

"I don't know; that depends; but, Captain Carboneer, I hope you will be
my friend in this little matter," added Mulgate.

"I don't know any thing about the little matter; but I am not willing
to jeopardize the enterprise that brings us here to help you out with
a love affair," replied the older gentleman. "There will be time enough
for you to look for a wife after the war is over, and you have more time
to attend to the affair."

"Mr. Mulgate, I should like to know something more about your intentions
before we go any farther," interposed Corny, in a tone so decided that
Mulgate had to listen to him, especially as he had obtained so little
sympathy from the elderly gentleman.

"Speak quick then, for we have no time to spare," added Mulgate.

"Do I understand from what you have said that you intend to take Florry
Passford back to the South with you?" asked Corny, with his teeth
closely pressed together, so that it was rather difficult for him to
speak intelligibly.

"I answer, as I did before, that I don't know what I shall do; that
depends," replied Mulgate evasively.

"Depends upon what?"

"I have no time to discuss that matter now," added Mulgate, turning to
his companion.

"But I have time to say that I will ruin the whole enterprise if you
mean to commit an outrage such as you appear to have in your m