I accepted the invitation and partook of the refreshments.  Wild Bill paid the woman of the house, and we went out to the gate where my horse was standing.

“Billy, my boy,” said he, “I am mighty glad to see you.  I haven’t seen or heard of you since we got busted on that St. Louis’ horse-race.”

“What are you doing out here?” I asked.

“I am a scout under General McNiel.  For the last few days I have been with General Marmaduke’s division of Price’s army, in disguise as a southern officer from Texas, as you see me now,” said he.

“That’s exactly the kind of business that I am out on to-day,” said I; “and I want to get some information concerning Price’s movements.”

“I’ll give you all that I have;” and he then went on and told me all that he knew regarding Price’s intentions, and the number and condition of his men.  He then asked about my mother, and when he learned that she was dead he was greatly surprised and grieved; he thought a great deal of her, for she had treated him almost as one of her own children.  He finally took out a package, which he had concealed about his person, and handing it to me he said: 

“Here are some letters which I want you to give to General McNiel.”

“All right,” said I as I took them, “but where will I meet you again?”

“Never mind that,” he replied; “I am getting so much valuable information that I propose to stay a little while longer in this disguise.”  Thereupon we shook hands and parted.

It is not necessary to say much concerning Price’s raid in general, as that event is a matter of recorded history.  I am only relating the incidents in which I was personally interested either as one of the actors or as an observer.

Another interesting and I may say exciting episode happened to me a day or two after my unexpected meeting with Wild Bill.  I was riding with the advance guard of our army, and wishing a drink of water, I stopped at a farmhouse.  There were no men about the premises, and no one excepting a very fine and intellectual looking lady and her two daughters.  They seemed to be almost frightened to death at seeing me—­a “yank”—­appear before them.  I quieted their fears somewhat, and the mother then asked me how far back the army was.  When I told her it would be along shortly, she expressed her fears that they would take everything on the premises.  They set me out a lunch and treated me rather kindly, so that I really began to sympathize with them; for I knew that the soldiers would ransack their house and confiscate everything they could lay their hands on.  At last I resolved to do what I could to protect them.  After the generals and the staff officers had passed by, I took it upon myself to be a sentry over the house.  When the command came along some of the men rushed up with the intention of entering the place and carrying off all the desirable plunder possible, and then tearing and breaking everything to pieces, as they usually did along the line of march.