Page:Lady Barbarity; a romance (IA ladybarbarityrom00snai).pdf/71

 have as much start of you and your men as possible. Captain, you forget that I am a rebel."

"Under your pardon I do not," says he, whilst a groan rose to his lips. "And would that I might dissemble it, for this may prove a very awkward business."

'Twas a smothered threat of course, but I smiled at it demurely.

However, my present plan to assist the prisoner's escape was unluckily doomed to a frustration. A sentry had been dispatched from the house to relieve the one on guard at the stable door. Finding him asleep and the prisoner gone, he had repaired to his comrades, and then to the Captain's room with a report of the occurrence. That bird was also flown. Thereupon the whole house was put in a commotion, somewhere on the stroke of four of the wintry morning, and the soldiers issued forth in a body to seek high and low the rebel and their officer. Three of them were now bearing down upon us in the meadow. In a word they were advised of their commander's accident and the necessity for haste. Therefore summoning their fellows they promptly unhinged one of the hurdles of the park and bore the Captain on it to his chamber. And as soon as they had done this, they got to horse, and galloped hotly in pursuit of the fleeing rebel, who had something less than two hours start upon them.

"We shall see him brought back before the day is out!" said the Captain, confidently; "for he hath