spirited animal, and not every young fellow of eighteen would have felt at home in a saddle placed on his back. As the ladies from the house

he ladies; "but for the love of Heaven, can't you do somethin

ger woman. "Oh, my father! They are abusing him

will excuse me, I will attend to it," replied Deck, as

old lady, who wanted to talk

was several rods ahead of them. In a couple of minutes he had reached a point which commanded a view of the place chosen for the spectacle. The actors had eviden

mbing a tree with it, to pass it over a branch. Five men were on the ground, and their attention had already been attracted by the approach of the horsemen from the

voice loud enough to be heard half a mi

Deck with all the

orses at his side. The carbines were ready for use in a moment, and all three of them were aimed at the five men surrounding the planter. The actors in the tragedy very plainly did not like this demons

x and Owens," said Deck, though he had no a

ther when he was permitted to do so. Deck was a brave fellow; he seemed to have no idea of anything like fear when he was required to face

party. It was possible that he and his men had been entangled in the bushes and young trees, or had come to some water they could not easily pass. De

spoken before; and this time his voice gave De

him much to think of besides the identity of the commander of the expedition upon which the squadron had fallen. It was evident to him that

which he insisted upon carrying to extremes, was in the family. The forces at Riverlawn had defeated and driven off him and his

er's brother; though he was just as earnestly determined to do his whole duty to his country, without regard to his relationshi

ould now be clearly identified; and he had evidently made up his mind to proceed with the business in hand, as only three men had appeared so far to interfere with the operati

her men. "The fellow is as obstinate as

and the three carbines were promptly pointed at them. "This thing has go

tus, stopping long enough in his o

you proceed any farther with this b

e three carbines pointed at his men. But Deck felt somewhat ashamed of the delay he had made in relieving the terrified planter from the extremity to

tus furiously, to two of the ruf

the ground, and grasped his right arm with the left hand. The other man then raised his musket;

The three men at the rope seemed to be appalled at the fate of their associates, and releas

Owens!" said Deck, to

. Again Deck seized the line, and urged his horse up to the place where the planter was standing. Reaching down from hi

an," said Mr. Barkland, pantin

re a Union man,

hy I am subjected to this outra

re to interfere with my business?" demanded Captai

clined to parley with the captain of the late Home Guards, now in the service of the

"I reckon we ain't nothin' of the sort. Do

nd, you can return to your house, for your wife and daughter are

lied the planter, as he

men dashed upon the scene, to the

eant, as he reined up his steed. "We had to go about t

nd was not killed; but he was bleeding from a wound in the side of the head, and the b

mpany is my uncle, Captain Titus," sa

ed Life. "I have heard all about him,

with him, Life, and I wish you w

o kill him? I can

e nephew warmly. "Of course I don't

, and we will march them down

aptain Titus appeared to have brought all his obstinacy and unreason

oner, as though he still ruled the roost

g," replied the sergeant. "If you don't

ke a hand in the business in the morning, and a bat

valry. Will you take your place in the line? That's th

!" replied the captain

prisoner by the back of his coat collar, lifted him clear of the groun

growled he, as he atte

ted him up, and slapped him down acros

irection of the road, in spite of the struggles of the prisoner. But they had not reached the road where they had first seen Cato, when the head of

im. The column consisted of only the first company, the other having been sent to take another position. Captain Truman had

or Lyon, as he saw the six pris

," replied the sergeant. "They were about to hang the planter, Mr. Barkla

oner!" exclaimed t

d the first company proceeded