Carleton made no remark at this intelligence beyond a calm " Indeed!" and remained some time buried in deep thought, and it would seem by his countenance of not a very pleasant nature. In fact, great disturbance of mind was very legibly expressed in his face; but

The two haversacks were soon opened, and their contents, consisting of hard-tack and hard cheese, disposed of with a relish only exercise and out-door air can give. A canteen of the delicious water finished the repast.

The two officers now sat watching the soldiers, gliding through the mist like spectres, or lying on the ground under the hemlock trees, each one vigorously mastieating his hard-tack and cracking jokes with his comrades, as if their position was the pleasantest in the world, and life had not a care beyond the present hour.

"Well," said Carleton, after a long pause, during which many thoughts, some of not the most agreeable character, had been stirring his brain, "this is not so bad as it might be; but I would rather be with my regiment; and besides, I have matter under my belt which ought to be in the hands of Grant before I am many hours older."

His companion pricked up his ears like a mettlesome war-horse. "So you were sent away as bearer of despatches?" he inquired.

“Yes, but don't ask me where I have been. I am not at liberty to tell. You can employ yourself, if you please, much better by telling me where the army is now, and what it has been doing these last four or five days. By accounts received yesterday from a 'poor white' family, at whose house I stopped for refreshments, I should think Grant had gobbled up all the rebels, fortifications,

"How do the people on the present route of our army, major, seem to regard it?" he at length inquired.

"Oh, they generally desert their homes, leaving but empty houses behind them. A few, however, are bolder, and, in spite of bullets and bombshells remain fast by their dwellings. The women, especially, I think, have either great confidence in the humanity and forbearance of Grant, or their love for their household altars is strong enough to overcome the fear of danger from our army."

"But the guerrillas, major? It seems to me the inhabitants have far more reason to fear them than our armies, enemies though they be."

"And they do fear them more, and, as you say, with good reason; for they rob alike friend and foe. The miserable marauders! When this war is over, I think the rebel States will find to their cost what it is to have fostered such lawless banditti; for they will have acquired a taste for plunder and lawless raids which will not be easily cured."

Captain Carleton gave a long sigh, while his companion curiously regarded him.

"I have a peculiar interest in the subject of our conversation," said Carleton, at length; "so great that, in fact, sometimes, in spite of my loyalty, I half wish that Grant would leave Vicksburg to its fate, and capture some other city."

Major Bateman opened his eyes. "He will capture some other city," said he,

coolly, "but it will be after he has taken Vicksburg. What is the matter with you? No man in his senses who loves his country, or reverences his flag, could, I should think, endure to think for a moment of disgrace and disaster like that of giving up Vicksburg now. Why, Carleton, you are feverish with your fatigue. Your brain is bewildered."

"No, I am perfectly well, and I did not really mean what I said. But I am troubled, Bateman."

"About what? Anything I can help you in? If you have, you know you have only to say the word, and I am

"I know it, my dear fellow. You have shown your friendship and good-will often enough in times past; but, unfortunately, neither you nor any one else can help me in my present difficulty. You see, Bateman, my trouble is just this: "I have a distant relative-a second cousin who is a young widow with two little children, who lives not far from Vicksburg. She is very wealthy, owns several plantations, and negroes without number. Her husband died directly after the war commenced, leaving all his property to her and her children, and her and myself their joint guardians. And a pretty job I have had of it! I have been living in St. Louis for several years, engaged in business there. My cousin is young, beautiful, and headstrong, knows nothing about business, but still, in the coolest manner, persists in having her own way in everything. A fine rig she has run me, I can tell you! Under any circumstances it would have been difficult to manage the property so far away; but it has been made ten times more difficult by her pretty wilful way of mismanaging and disarranging everything I do."

"Why do you not give up your guardianship, then?"

"Give it up? What, and leave her and her children to the mercy of the wicked and designing world? I will never do it!"

"But what can you do? She is in Vicksburg, of course, now, and you must wait until we capture the city before you can do anything more."

"She is not in the city, at least, she was not a few months ago. I tried every way, before Sherman attempted to take Vicksburg, to induce her to go North among my relations. I represented how unsafe it would be for her to remain in the neighborhood of contending armies and a beleagued city. But no! my lady refused to budge an inch. She would stay on her plantation with her children and her servants. 'Nobody would harm such a harmless little body as she.' And so I suppose she is there now, and whether worse or better off than she would be in the beleagued city, I can't even guess."

"I don't wonder you are anxious and perplexed. I hope none of my friends will die and leave me guardian to a beautiful, wilful widow and two little cherubs. I'd rather help bombard Vicksburg, or even charge its batteries at the cannon's mouth. But maybe after all she has gone into the city since our army has been advancing on its rear."

"Yes, and is now living in a hole in the ground, with a shell bursting over her head every hour or two. She'll never be able to stand it! She is too delicate for such hardship. They'll all die." The young captain grew too nervous to keep his seat, and began pacing back and forth in the mist.

"Don't imagine the worst, Carleton; look at things philosophically. I dare say your cousin will get on very well. They say the caves in Vicksburg are not such very bad places to live in!"

"Don't be a fool, Bateman!"

"Halloo, my fine fellow! Take it a little more coolly! I did not mean to say that a comfortable house in a quiet village is not better; but those caves are really said to be very safe, and they manage to make them comfortable, I have no doubt."

"I beg your pardon, my friend; but to think of a woman like Florence Mac Alpine reduced to such straits is rather more than I can bear!"

entire morning. To cross these they found it necessary to take to the bridges of the travelled road. So they went on for two or three hours. They had struck several miles inland, when a winding belt of trees in the distance indicated a river or lesser stream, which they were approaching.

"That is the Black River," remarked Major Bateman; we shall follow it a considerable part of the distance to camp. We must keep our senses on the alert; for this heavy belt of timber is the place to shelter guerrillas. Look well to the primings of your pistols, boys, and be ready for a guerrilla attack. We may soon have it." Every pistol was carefully examined, and they rode cautiously forward for about a mile and reached the edge of the timber, which they skirted for some distance, hoping to find an opening that would indicate a bridge or a ford. It was some time before they succeeded; but at length the light breaking through the trees, and a wide bridle-path, gave promise of what they were looking for. They turned silently into the path, winding along by twos, keeping their eyes busy on both sides of them, and in another minute came out upon a circular plateau of several acres nicely grassed over, and occupied by a comfortable-looking log-cabin, now apparently unoccupied. It was a noble amphitheatre, surrounded by majestic oaks and elms, and dotted here and there with clumps of beautiful trees, brilliant with blossoms red, white, and pink,-altogether forming one of the loveliest pictures imaginable. A flower-garden, now neglected and overgrown with weeds, through which a wilderness of flowers of every dye struggled upward to the light, gave pleasant token of taste and refinement; while a kitchen-garden, well-filled with vegetables, spoke for the civilization of the occupants of the cabin.

"It looks like a New Englander's home," remarked the major, as he stopped to admire the scene. "No regular Mississippian makes such a home as this."

By the cabin-door a narrow road, apparently little used, led down to a bridge, which crossed the river at a sudden bend

with high banks and a narrowed channel. The bridge was narrow and very rustic, being constructed, in corduroy fashion, of logs with a partially hewn face, and, though a very picturesque feature in the landscape, giving little indication of great strength. The road was thickly belted by a thick growth of the same majestic oaks, maples, and elms which dotted the open space, and was delightfully shaded.

"Really, this is one of the prettiest scenes I have seen in Mississippi," said Carleton, looking around him with an eye that could well appreciate its beauties.

"A pretty scene," replied the major; "but I would give a week's pay to be well across that bridge and on the open prairie beyond. This would be a nice trap for the guerrillas to catch us in; so the sooner we cross the better."

The men, who had also paused to admire the scene, with the habit of long discipline, had kept their ranks, and at the command "Forward!" were again instantly in motion, and advancing toward the bridge at a brisk trot.

Suddenly wild yells arose behind them, and on the forest side, and rifles and shotguns poured a fierce volley into them.

"The guerrillas are upon us!" shouted the major. "Over the bridge, boys! Gallop for your lives! Over, and tear up the bridge!"

There was no need of the order. They dashed down to the river, and went safely over, though the narrow bridge swayed and trembled under the tramp of galloping horses. But the guerrillas were in considerable force, and the thundering sound of cavalry at full speed followed hard after them, while the buckshot flew thickly, wounding men and horses, and the infernal yells ringing louder and more threatening than either.

were on it. It began to give way; it lifted; it was displaced from its foundation, and went thundering down into the river, a dozen men and horses going down with it.

"Three cheers, and then forward again!" cried the major.

The brave little band gave three rousing cheers, which were answered by yells of rage and disappointment, a fresh volley of buckshot from the rebel raiders, and on again they went at a swift and steady gallop.

We have gained time," said Carleton, who, riding by the major's side, was looking back; "for I see they are galloping down the river to find a ford, and the fellows to whom we gave such a nice ducking will have to go some distance before they find a place where the beach is sloping enough to permit of their landing."

"God grant it!" said the major; "for they are three to our one, and a more infernal set of devils never bestrode good horses. We have six miles farther before we reach camp, and we shall have to race for it."

"We must beat them that way if at all," said Carleton, "for our pistols are no match for their rifles and shot-guns; and the rascals know how to fire."

The road was still heavy, but far better than on the other side of the river, and the little party dashed on with unabated speed, the horses seeming to feel all the urgency of the occasion.

"Brave fellows! if they will only hold out like this!" said Carleton, patting his horse's neck. "We get on well."

And on they still swept.

"We shall soon hear more from the rascals if I am not mistaken," said the major, looking behind him. "I see a dozen or more already on this side. They are swarming up-they are coming! Faster! faster! if the poor beasts can bear it!"

Again the wild yells of the guerrillas rose high and shrill behind them, and the thunder of cavalry at its maddest speed was evidently drawing nearer.

"Faster! faster!" again shouted the major.

The men plunged their spurs into the steaming sides of their weary horses, and dashed on.

"One mile more, and we are safe. Faster, boys, faster!" shouted the major, still dashing on by the side of Carleton.

The brave horses were reeling under their furious speed, and one or two stumbled and nearly fell.

"Their animals are strong and fresh!" said Carleton, as he once more glanced back. "They are gaining on us. We

shall have to wheel and face them!" "If we do, we are lost! Our only salvation is this unbroken gallop. On! on! on!!"

But the road grew worse. Bog-holes, into which the tired horses plunged, began to lay in their road. Here a horse fell over a fallen tree, and there another mired and could not be extricated, and their ranks became broken, confused, and irregular. And still the rebels gained— they were now within gun-shot distance. They overtook some who were dismounted, and shot them without mercy. The pursuers still dashed on, their triumphant yells sounding more like the yells of demons than of human beings, pouring in their volleys, shot after shot telling on both men and horses. Men dropped from their saddles, and their steeds, infuriated by the noise and the exciting chase, dashed into the ranks and increased the confusion already prevailing.

The foremost of the guerrillas was rushing on neck and neck with the hindmost of the flying soldiers, his gun clubbed to brain him, when an opening in the timber they had for some time been approaching revealed the camp of the army of Grant, a hundred rods before them. Loud cheers from the men announced the fact.

The firing of the pickets, and the spurring of a regiment of cavalry to the rescue, was the signal for the guerrillas to retire. Maliciously discharging their guns into the ranks of the soldiers once more, with wild yells of disappointment they galloped off, followed by the cavalry, who fired volley after volley into them, dropping many from their saddles, but who, unused to the country, at length lost