Louis Joseph Vance

“ A dying sun bathed her in a crimson splendor, and upon her hand the carnelian in the ring blazed like a drop of living, palpitating blood—upon her hand! She shuddered.
Clouds gathered; and the night's shadows closed about her swiftly. It was to be a black night, moonless; and when it had passed swiftly, as it would surely pass—— She shuddered again, and was shaken by a sigh deep as a sob.
The guard tent was backed up against the edge of the woodland, whose nocturnal stirrings made sibilant the long hours to Alspaugh. He sat in the center of the plot of moist earth, painfully hunched up ”

“ To all appearances it might have been deserted for years; but across a more distant stretch of lawn Alspaugh could see a frantic negro scuttling as for dear life, his rags weirdly fluttering. Alspaugh was moved to howl after him, and the darky discovered, mended his pace marvelously, giving vent to unearthly screeches. Alspaugh chuckled, but forbore to give, chase; the incident merely served to reassure him. He would have no trouble getting what information he desired, for no men were about. ”

“ His cap came off abruptly, and he bowed—but mutely.
"Well? What do you want?"
The tone was as repellent as the speaker was decidedly to the contrary. A girl stood upon the threshold; a girl, but almost a woman, dark, rebellious, and wonderful in a number of ways which Alspaugh had scarce time to enumerate: a beauty in a temper. She frowned upon him, fearless, eyes snapping a challenge beneath her level brows; and she stamped a foot which Alspaugh thought absurdly inadequate for the purpose. ”

“ I say, what are you going to do with me, anyhow?"
"Turn you over to General Forrest. Move faster!"
"What are you going to do that for? I'll get away from him, sure's you're a foot high: but you couldn't drive me away from you with a dog!"
"If he permits you to escape, that is his fault. My duty will he done when I've turned you over to him."
"Yes, I reckon so," Alspaugh agreed, adding in a tone of whimsical remonstrance. ”

“ In obedience to the command he passed through the underbrush and came out upon the road. He found that the girl was mounted; she wheeled her horse cautiously, keeping the muzzle of the gun full upon the young man. "Do you see that big oak on the hilltop there?" she demanded frigidly.
Alspaugh nodded pleasantly, watching her face. She flushed angrily.
"There's a Confederate sharp-shooter up that tree," she proclaimed, "and his rifle is trained on you!"
"Why, the mean thing!" protested Alspaugh. ”

“ Forrest smiled acidly.
"I hold in my hand convincing evidence of your guilt. This belt was wrested from you in your struggle with Mrs. Swain. You can't deny your property!"
Suddenly the girl found herself on her feet, strangling a cry in her throat. Alspaugh's stare of blank surprise as he took the belt in his hands had been succeeded by an appalling pallor that bespoke his hopelessness.
It was a plain strap of worn black leather, with a brass buckle bearing the Federal "U. S." But attached to it was a cap-box ”

“ Strangely enough, she was finding it extremely hard to give evidence that would go to condemn an enemy of her people. Alspaugh came to her rescue gallantly enough.
"It is unnecessary to question Miss Thorpe further on that point," he volunteered. "I readily admit that I rode south, even that I was at the Swain homestead. ”

“ In the rear he found the evidences of human tenancy that he had expected—a pile of kindling-wood fresh cut by the kitchen door; abundant moisture around the well-curb; a number of haughty fowls subservient to a domineering rooster. ”

“ Alspaugh himself stood upon his two feet and faced the man with a high fearlessness. A Confederate cavalryman stood at his either side; an orderly was erect in the doorway. The girl sat uneasily upon the edge of a chair near General Forrest. ”