In the Saddle

p! H

the art of carpentry. It stood near the Spring Road, in a field of about ten acres of land, under cu

all over the country, who were struggling to improve their worldly condition on a very insufficient capital

nt, in addition to his labor in the cultivation of his land; and with the sum he had been able to save from his wages, he had bought the land, and star

g of the War of the Rebellion, one struggling to drag the State out of the Union, and the other to prevent its secession. As in the other States of the South, the adv

suffered in consequence; and it looked as though Pickford's house would never be entirely finished. With the exception of the chimney, placed outside of the building, after the fashi

loor. One of them had his foot on the chest of the fallen farmer, and the other was pointing his gun at him. Pickford had evidently endeavored to protect hims

rincipal aggressor in the assault. "Dr. Falkirk paid you over fifty dollars to-da

t of one of his assaulters on his chest, and the other with an old gun in his hand at his side, Pickford realized that nothing could be done but submit. Shooting in th

, with all the strength of his lungs, which gave him vo

pressed his foot down with all his might by throwing

e victim a new hope, and he tried to shout again. But Sandy

rly, and we will tie his hands behi

p!' shouted

ctim to further resistance, for the gun in the hands of Orly no longer threatened him. With a desperate struggle he threw Sandy over backwards, and sprang to his feet. His persecutor picked himself up, and was about to throw himself upon him again.

an eighteen years old, with a pleasant face, though a physiognomist would have observed upon it a look of determination, indicating that he could not be trifled with on

he hitching-hook and hurried to the front door, just in time to encounter Pickford as he was rushing out. The victim of the outrage was gasping for

, the cavalryman, as he encountered t

r cousins, Sandy and Orly Lyon, and one of them

d Deck Lyon, astonished a

groaned Swin, as he

o the county town with the

, 'cause I have a fa

e trouble is," continued Deck, a

n in the person of the cavalryman. The sight of him caused the angry young man to fall back; and

ly as though nothing had called for his inter

" replied Sandy

looked from one to the other of the belligerents, and took in Orly with the cord at the s

side, for Pickford is a

me service; but when they started to go inter the Confederate army, I took off my name, for I didn't j'in for no sech work. But Sandy and O

he glanced at his two cousins. "But I am not here to settle any such quarr

g to do with politics or the

all, Deck,

came in because a cry was heard from the house

as goin' on here!"

ndy. "Not a word has been said here

his company farther south, to

ther twenty-seven dollars for building the chimney of this house, and

y to pay the bill. I'm an honest man, and I allus pay my debts when I ken. Times have been hard with me for the last two years. Folks has been all over

use in your case,

erty, and I didn't s'pose he needed the money. I offered him five dollars, and told him I'd try to pay him five every month. But he didn't want me to do it that way, and told me I cou

k paid him fifty dollars this morning at the grocery; f

aid Grunge the grocer nineteen dollars on't; for he knows I'm an honest man, and trusted me. Then I paid a man that's

way over here; for we have no horses at home now. He's got the money,

" Orly put in, perhaps telling more th

e of your gun," suggested Deck, who had seen the younger

"I believe he has the money, and I mea

ested the victim, as he took an old wallet from his pocket, which was found to contain

Sandy," said Deck to his cousin, as he stepp

got, though he abused me wus'n any man ever did in thi

," replied Sandy, as he too

m would be gladly received by her. Deck led the way out of the house, and his two cousins followed, just as Mrs. Pickford and her t