"Damned good!" said Lysander. Indeed, it just suited his ferocious mood.
"Go yourself, lieutenant, and put it into execution."

"There's one objection to that," replied Silas, thrusting a quid into
his cheek. "I know the old woman so well. It's best that none of us in
authority should be supposed to have a hand in't. Send somebody that
don't know her, and that you can depend on to do the job up harnsome.
How's them Dutchmen?"

"Just the chaps!" said Lysander, growing good-natured as the pleasant
idea of whipping a woman developed itself more and more to his
appreciative mind.

From flogging a slave, to flogging a free negro, the step is short and
easy. From the familiar and long-established usage of beating
slave-women, to the novel fashion of whipping the patriotic wives of
Union men, the step is scarcely longer, or more difficult. Even the
chivalrous Bythewood, who was certainly a gentleman in the common
acceptation of the term, magnificently hospitable to his equals, gallant
to excess among ladies worthy of his smiles,--yet who never interfered
to prevent the flogging of slave-mothers on his estates,--saw nothing
extraordinary or revolting in the idea of extorting a secret from a
hated Union woman by means of the lash. To such gross appetites for
cruelty as Ropes had cultivated, the thing relished hugely. The keen,
malignant palate of Lysander tasted the flavor of a good joke in it.

The project was freely discussed, and in the hilarity of their hearts
the two officers let fall certain words, like crumbs from their table,
which a miserable dog chanced to pick up.

That miserable dog was Dan Pepperill, whose heart was so much bigger
than his wit. He knew that mischief was meant towards Mrs. Stackridge.
How could he warn her? The drums were already beating for company drill,
and he despaired of doing anything to save her, when by good fortune--or
is there something besides good fortune in such things?--he saw one of
his children approaching.

The little Pepperill came with a message from her mother. Dan heard it
unheedingly, then whispered in the girl's ear,--

"Go and tell Mrs. Stackridge her and the childern's invited over to our
house this forenoon. Right away now! Partic'lar reasons, tell her!"
added Dan, reflecting that ladies in Mrs. Stackridge's station did not
visit those in his wife's without particular reasons.

The child ran away, and Pepperill fell into the ranks, only to get
repeatedly and sever