very quietly, and when taxed with stealing his master’s wheat he was ready with an answer.  ‘Now Massa Parker,’ said Jack, ‘lem’me tell yer jis’ how it war ’bout dat wheat.  Wen ole Jack com’d down yere, dis place war all growed up in woods.  He go ter work, clared up de groun’ an’ plowed, an’ planted, an’ riz a crap, an’ den wen it war all done, he hadn’t a dollar to buy his ole woman a gown; an’ he jis’ took a bag ob wheat.’”

“What did Mr. Parker say?” asked Sybil.

“I don’t know, though I reckon he didn’t think it was a bad steal after all, but I don’t suppose he told Jack so.  When he came to the next point, about Jack’s lying, I suppose he thought he had a clear case; but Jack was equal to the occasion.”

“How did he clear up that charge?” interrogated Captain Sybil.

“Finely.  I think if he had been educated he would have made a first-rate lawyer.  He said, ’Marse Parker, dere’s old Joe.  His wife don’t lib on dis plantation.  Old Joe go ober ter see her, but he stayed too long, an’ didn’t git back in time fer his work.  Massa’s oberseer kotched him an’ cut him all up.  When de oberseer went inter de house, pore old Joe war all tired an’ beat up, an’ so he lay down by de fence corner and go ter sleep.  Bimeby Massa oberseer com’d an’ axed, “all bin a workin’ libely?” I say “Yes, Massa."’ Then said Mr. Parker, ’You were lying, Joe had been sleeping, not working.’  ’I know’s dat, but ef I tole on Joe, Massa oberseer cut him all up again, and Massa Jesus says, “Blessed am de Peacemaker."’ I heard, continued Robert, that Mr. Parker said to Gundover, ’You seem to me like a man standing in a stream where the blood of Jesus can reach you, but you are standing between it and your slaves.  How will you answer that in the Day of Judgment?’”

“What did Gundover say?” asked Captain Sybil.

“He turned pale, and said, ’For God’s sake don’t speak of the Day of Judgment in connection with slavery.’”

Just then a messenger brought a communication to Captain Sybil.  He read it attentively, and, turning to Robert, said, “Here are orders for an engagement at Five Forks to-morrow.  Oh, this wasting of life and scattering of treasure might have been saved had we only been wiser.  But the time is passing.  Look after your company, and see that everything is in readiness as soon as possible.”

Carefully Robert superintended the arrangements for the coming battle of a strife which for years had thrown its crimson shadows over the land.  The Rebels fought with a valor worthy of a better cause.  The disaster of Bull Run had been retrieved.  Sherman had made his famous march to the sea.  Fighting Joe Hooker had scaled the stronghold of the storm king and won a victory in the palace chamber of the clouds; the Union soldiers had captured Columbia, replanted the Stars and Stripes in Charleston, and changed that old sepulchre of slavery into the cradle of a new-born freedom.  Farragut had been as triumphant