There was a pause in the conversation which was broken by young Peyton, who rattled on for some time with Miss Stead in that light vein which the most serious circumstances cannot long repress when youth and beauty meet.  Colonel Washington spoke but little, and with an evident effort at gayety which ill agreed with the earnest, thoughtful look which settled on his features, while Miss Elliott could not conceal the embarrassment which her heightened color and downcast eyes betrayed as she toyed with her embroidery, avoiding the glances of deep and ardent yet restrained admiration with which her distinguished guest regarded her.  The hour had arrived when the soldiers must resume their journey; and while Rebecca Stead stood watching from the piazza the final preparations which the young orderly was making for the march, Colonel Washington took the hand of his fair hostess and after a moment’s hesitation bowed low and pressed it to his lips, but with somewhat more of warmth than was required by the stately courtesy of the day.  Their eyes met for an instant, and then, without one word of spoken adieu, they parted.  When Miss Stead turned to join her friend she found herself alone with old Billy, who was gazing after the fast-receding forms of the troopers.  “Mass’ Tahlton done ketch de debbil ef he meet dem Virginia man to-night,” said the old fellow sententiously as he slowly retired into his pantry.

[Footnote A:  This fine old relic of the Revolution is preserved by the Washington Light Infantry of Charleston, South Carolina.  It was borne by Colonel William Washington’s corps at Cowpens and Eutaw.]

II.

On the 12th of May, 1780, General Lincoln, after sustaining a close siege of more than a month’s duration, surrendered Charleston, with five thousand men and four hundred pieces of artillery, into the hands of Sir Henry Clinton.  The dark cloud which had long been threatening Lower Carolina now settled like a pall over the whole State, and but for two causes the whole issue of the war might have been changed.  One of these was the severity of Cornwallis, who succeeded Clinton in the command, and who by his unwise policy drove the despondent people to desperation:  the other was the indomitable courage and self-devoted heroism of the women, which encouraged and strengthened the flagging patriotism of the men.  The militia who had been captured with the city regarded themselves as absolved from a parole which did not protect them from enlistment in the ranks of the Crown, and the irregular bands of Marion, Pickens and Sumter received large accessions.  Mill-saws were roughly forged into sabres and pewter table-ware melted and beaten into slugs for the shot-guns with which the men were armed.  The British dared not forage except in force, the pickets were shot from ambushes, and their Tory allies hung whenever captured.  In August the disastrous battle of Camden destroyed Gates’s