ve gotten what little hay and corn there
was in the stables and are waiting for your orders."

"Very well," and Lieutenant-Colonel Morrison's incisive words rang
mercilessly in the listening woman's ears. "Pick out the best shots you
have among your men and send them at the gallop down this road to the
river crossing. String them along the bank, dismount them and have them
watch as they've never watched before. You understand? Now _hurry_!"

If ever a woman hated a man, or rather the crushing force he typified,
then Herbert Cary's wife hated this clear headed, efficient Northerner,
who was now discovering how he had been delayed and thwarted. Yet she
had plenty of spirit left, for as Corporal Dudley and his file of
troopers emerged from the house she stood up and caught Uncle Billy's
eye.

"Well, Corporal?" asked Morrison.

"Well, William?" asked Mrs. Cary.

"It's all right, Miss Hallie," Uncle Billy grinned. "Dey ain't took
nothin'--not a single thing."

"Thank you, William," said Mrs. Cary, having triumphed again. "And thank
_you_, gentlemen." With a bow to Morrison she went superbly back to her
seat under the trees. But as she went it took all her strength of will
to keep from crying. Down the carriage road a squad of cavalry was
galloping furiously towards the river. And still she had not heard the
three shots.

"Now, then, Corporal, you found what?"

"Nothing, sir. We hunted from cellar to roof. No arms and no rebels."

"H'm," he mused. "Anything else?"

"Three bedrooms, sir. All in use."

"Three?" Colonel Morrison exclaimed. "Very well. That's all. I'll join
you in a moment." Then he turned to Mrs. Cary, his face stern with
resolve.

"Madam," he said crisply, "you are not alone on this plantation with
only this old negro. We are wasting time. I'm after a Rebel scout and _I
want him_. Which way did he go?"

"I'm sorry, sir," she said, quite ready to play her game again. "But our
Rebel scouts usually neglect to mention their precise intentions."

"Perhaps. If this one went at all. Is he still here?"

"I should imagine--_not_."

"Then he did go this way--to the river crossing?"

Once more he caught and held her eyes and thought he would read the
truth in spite of anything she might say.

But while he looked he saw her strained face suddenly relax--saw the
anxiety flee from her eyes--saw heart and soul take on new life. From
far away across the river had come some faint popping sounds, regularly