nger again, as she seemed
ready to burst into questioning.

Immediately she snuggled close to him and whispered hotly in his ear,
"Who are they, Daddy?"

"I don't know, honey," he whispered back. "But I'm afraid they're Yanks.
Keep quiet till they pass." And quickly deserting the stone under the
trees where they had had their "belt supper" he drew her with him behind
the large ledge of rock from under which the spring flowed out. Looking
behind them he saw that with good luck they could reach the shelter of
the woods and get up over the hill without being seen. But just now they
could not stir from their hiding place unless--unless the men were
Confederates. This faint hope, however, soon flickered out when he saw
the color of their uniforms.

Up the road came four dismounted men with a corporal in command. They
were taking it easy as they walked along, their caps thrust back, their
coats open and their Sharps' carbines carried in the variety of ways
that a soldier adopts to ease his shoulder of the burden that grows
heavier with every mile.

"Here's the place, boys," the Corporal called out as his eye fell on the
spring. "We can get some decent water, now. That James River water's too
yellow for any white man to put inside of him."

At the sound of a voice which he had heard that same morning while he
hid in the attic of the overseer's cabin Cary's hold on his daughter's
hand tightened warningly.

"Come along, Virgie," he whispered. "We'll get out of the way."

"But, Daddy," she protested in low tones, "we've got our pass."

"Yes, yes, I know," he answered, with a twinge of regret that the rest
of the world could not trust so faithfully to human kindness. "But
that's for emergency. Come along, honey--quick!"

Silently as a shadow the two stole out of the shelter of the ledge of
rock, and by dint of keeping it between them and the troopers, managed
to cover most of the open space between the spring and the protecting
trees without being seen. Meanwhile, they heard the Corporal giving his
commands.

"You, Collins, take sentry duty out there in the road for a while. As
soon as we make the coffee we'll bring you out a cup. Now--over the wall
with you, men."

Leaving one man behind to pace slowly up and down the dusty road the
four sprang over the wall and advanced towards the spring. It was well
the sight of the cool water held their eyes for if they had only looked
up they might have seen Virgie wresting her