that is terrible! Toby says that poor old man, Mr. Ellerton, who
assisted you to escape, was caught and hung by some of the soldiers
yesterday."

"I have no doubt but it is true. Although he had returned to his home,
he was known to be a Unionist, and probably he was suspected of having
aided us; in which case not even his white hairs could save him."

"But it is horrible! They have commenced woman-whipping. And Toby says a
negro was hung six times a couple of days ago, and afterwards cut to
pieces, for saying to another negro he met, 'Good news; Lincoln's army
is coming!' What is going to become of us, if relief doesn't arrive
soon? O, to look at the beautiful world we are driven from by these
wicked, wicked men!"

"And are you so very weary of the cave?"

Penn gave her a look full of electric tenderness, which seemed to say,
"Have not I been with you? and am I nothing to you?"

She smiled, and her voice was tremulous as she answered,--

"I wish I could go out into the sunshine again! But I have not been
unhappy. Indeed, I think I have been very happy."

There was an indescribable pause; Virginia's eyes modestly veiled, her
face suffused with a blissful light, as if her soul saw some soft and
exquisite dream; while Penn's bosom swelled with the long undulations of
hope and transport. Toby still lingered in the entrance of the cave.

"Toby," said Penn, such a radiance flashing from his brow as the negro
had never seen before, "my good Toby,"--and what ineffable human
sympathy vibrated in his tones!--"I wish you would go in and tell our
friends that the enemy has quite disappeared: will you?"

"Yes, massa!" said Toby, a ray of that happiness penetrating even the
old freedman's breast. For such is the beautiful law of our nature, that
love cannot be concealed; it cannot be monopolized by one, nor yet by
two; but when its divine glow is kindled in any soul, it beams forth
from the eyes, it thrills in the tones of the voice, it breathes from
all the invisible magnetic pores of being, and sheds sunshine and warmth
on all.

Toby went. Then an arm of manly strength, yet of all manly gentleness,
stole about the waist of the girl, and drew her softly, close, closer;
while something else, impalpable, ravishing, holy, drew her by a still
more potent attraction; until, for the first time in her young and pure
life, her mouth met another mouth with the soul's virgin kiss. Her lips
had kissed many times before, but her sou