“I was wonderin’ why de second rank of Linkum men didn’t do nothin’, for dey was standin’ still wid a man on a hoss, out in front ob dem.  Suddenly I heard a bugle soun’, an’ de Linkum men dat was fightin’ gave way to right an’ lef, an’ de man on de hoss wave his sword an’ start for’ard at a gallop wid all his men arter him.  Den our sogers ‘gan to give back, fightin’ as dey came.  Dey was brave, dey was stubborn as mules, but back dey had to come.  De head Linkum ossifer was leadin’ all de time.  I neber seed such a man, eberyting an’ eberybody guv way afo’ him.  De oder Linkum sogers dat I thought was whipped wasn’t whipped at all, fer dey come crowdin’ aroun’ arter de head ossifer, jes’ as peart as eber.

“Front ob de house our ossifers an’ sogers made a big stan’, fer de missus an’ de young ladies stood right dar on de verandy, wabin’ dere hankerchiefs an’ cryin’ to dem to dribe de Yankee back.  I knowed my moder was on de verandy, an’ I run to her, an’ sho’ ’nuff, dar she was stan’in’ right in front of Missy S’wanee an’ ’treating de missus an’ de young ladies ter go in, fer de bullets was now flyin’ tick.  But dey wouldn’t go in, an’ Missy Roberta was wringin’ her han’s, an’ cryin’, ‘Oh, dat I was a man!’ De cunnel, de oder ossifer, an’ a lot ob our sogers wouldn’t give back an inch.  Dar dey was, fightin’ right afore our eyes.  De rest ob dere sogers was givin’ way eb’rywhar.  De Linkum sogers soon made a big rush togedder.  De cunnel’s hoss went down.  In a minute dey was surrounded; some was killed, some wounded, an’ de rest all taken, ’cept de young ossifer dat Missy S’wanee tole to win her colors.  He was on a po’ful big hoss, an’ he jes’ break right through eb’ryting, an’ was off wid de rest.  De Linkum sogers followed on, firin’ at ’em.

“De missus fainted dead away, an’ my moder held her in her arms.  De head Linkum ossifer now rode up to de verandy an’ took off his hat, an’ he say:  ’Ladies, I admire your co’age, but you should not ’spose yourselves so needlessly.  Should de vict’ry still remain wid our side, I promise you ’tection an ’munity from ‘noyance!’

“Den he bow an’ gallop arter his men dat was chasin’ our sogers, leabin’ anoder ossifer in charge ob de pris’ners.  De head Linkum man was Cap’n Lane.”

“I knew it, I knew it,” cried Marian.  “Ah! he’s a friend to be proud of.”

Her father and mother looked at her glowing cheeks and flashing eyes, and dismissed Merwyn from the possibilities of the future.

CHAPTER XXVIIL

The Signal Light.

The colored woman again took up the thread of the story which would explain her presence and her possession of a note from Captain Lane, recommending her and her son to Mr. Vosburgh’s protection.