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Rh in our battles there was much smoke, and men fired in among their opponents, in most instances over their heads—indeed, many fired anywhere; and even if I had killed several in the manner indicated, which was just as probable as not, with us such a proceeding would not be looked upon as criminal, but, on the contrary, virtuous and patriotic."

"Rather a painful and cruel task, was it not?" she interjected.

"Certainly," I added; "but still necessary in the interests of freedom and justice."

I had some difficulty in persuading her that I was not an assassin. However, she eventually appeared satisfied with my explanation, but deplored the condition of things that rendered such inhuman acts imperative. I was not surprised to find that a naturally sympathetic and noble-minded girl should look upon the atrocities of the battlefield with unutterable repugnance; but when I came to discuss the subject with Onneyubla, I wondered not a little to find that he looked upon war as something worse than a childish evil, and characteristic of the most contemptible imaginations.

"What greater proof could be forthcoming," he said, "of the utter depravity and barbarism of any