One of the men passed us going back into the kitchen, and she paused a moment until he had gone by, Miles and I waiting impatiently.

“He didn’t seem to know what to do with me.  I don’t think he intended any injury, and only seemed anxious to escape himself.  I tried to talk, but he would not answer a word.  After the first attempt I was not so much afraid of him, although he was rough enough when I tried to get away.  You know how the cellar is divided off into compartments.  Well, he discovered the one with the door, where you put your prisoners, and dragged me in there.  I knew he meant to close the door and leave me, but he thought me so weak and helpless that, after we were once inside, he walked across to test the iron bars at the windows.  I don’t know how I did it; I couldn’t have stood alone a moment before, but, all at once, it seemed as if I must, and I made the effort.  I think I crawled out, for I can scarcely remember now even how it was done, but I slammed the door shut, and dropped the bar across.  I heard him pounding and swearing inside, but was certain he couldn’t get out.  I didn’t faint, but I lay down there quite a while, so completely exhausted I could scarcely lift my hand.  I could hear him digging at the wood of the door with a knife, and the awful firing outside and up stairs.  I knew the house was being attacked, and then when it became quiet again, I was equally sure you had driven the Confederates back.  By that time I was able to get to my feet once more, and felt my way forward to the front stairs, for I knew I could never lift the trap.  In the hall I met the soldier, and he made me hide here behind the stairs because the fight had begun again.”

“And you never saw the man’s face, Miss?” questioned the sergeant.

“No; he seemed to try and keep out of sight, and, in the cellar, it was too dark for me to distinguish features a few feet away.  He acted as though afraid I might possibly recognize and identify him.”

“You can give no description?  He reminded you of no one you had ever seen?”

She was trying to think, to recall every detail to memory, but only shook her head.

“He was not a large man, rather slenderly built, but strong; young, I think—­the same one I saw before and told you about, Lieutenant Galesworth, and he wore the same uniform.”

My eyes turning from her face encountered Miles; and he burst out,

“I’m jiggered if this don’t beat me, sir.  Of course the lady is telling the truth, but where did that buck ever get one o’ our uniforms?  We didn’t bring no change o’ costume along, an’ I could tell you now, within ten feet, where every one o’ the lads is posted.  They ain’t any of ’em been long ‘nough out o’ my sight to pull off this kind of a stunt, an’ every mother’s son of ’em has got his own clothes on.  An’ somehow her description don’t just exactly fit any of our boys.  Who do you reckon the sucker is?”