frightful tortures to the pain of their
wounds. When the dews of night came to moisten parched lips, to cool
aching brows, Mr. Grey managed to drag himself to a stump near by, and
placing his back against it, waited hoping to gain a little more
strength. His mouth was parched and dry, but he had not a drop of
water. Suddenly his eyes fell upon a canteen lying at no great
distance, almost within reach of his hand; with infinite pain and
trouble he at last possessed himself of it. It was not quite empty,
but just as Mr. Grey was about to drink, he heard a deep groan, and
turning, met the imploring eyes of a Federal soldier. He was but a
youth, and had been shot through the body and mortally wounded. His
parched lips refused to speak, only the earnest eyes begged for water.
Mr. Grey at once handed him the canteen, although he felt almost as if
he would die for want of the water it contained. Eagerly the dying boy
drank. It seemed as if he must take all, there was so very little, but
after a swallow or two he resolutely handed it back, gasping, "God
bless ----. Left you some." When the moon arose, its rays fell upon
the dead young face of the boy in his gory blue, whose last words had
been a blessing upon the wounded, exhausted soldier in gray sitting
beside him.

Later came help,--old men who, starting when the first news of the
battle reached them, had ridden miles guided by the sound of the
firing. Most of them were Marylanders, who had sent forth their sons
to battle for the Confederate cause, and who now sought among the dead
and dying with dim, anxious eyes for the loved faces they yet prayed
not to find. Among them came farmer Dale, whose son was a Confederate
soldier. Eagerly he examined the faces of those who lay upon the
bloody field. All, however, were strange, until at last he came upon
Mr. Grey. Carefully assisting him to reach an old cabin which stood
near, he made the suffering man as comfortable as possible, then,
without loss of time, set out to convey the news to Mrs. Grey. Now, it
would seem that the very easiest thing would have been to carry the
wounded soldier at once to the house of his wife's mother to be nursed
and _cared_ for, but it must be remembered that the Federal army had
been shown in many ways that they were considered as invaders by the
people of Maryland, and that their presence was obnoxious and hateful.
They, on the other hand, considered all Southern sympathizers as
traitors to their