"Good-by. I hope that all of you will be shot by our brave troops before
night!"

The wish was uttered with the most extraordinary energy and fierceness.
For the first time she had raised her level tone, and the lifted
eyes that looked into Dick's were blazing with hate. He uttered an
exclamation and stepped back. Then he recovered himself and said
politely:

"Madame, I do not wish any such ill to you or yours."

But she had resumed her knitting, and Dick, without another word, walked
out of the house, followed by the sergeant and his men.

"I did not know a woman could be so vindictive," he said.

"Our army has killed two of her sons," said the sergeant. "To her we,
like all the rest of our troops, are the men who killed them."

"Perhaps that is so," said Dick thoughtfully, as he remounted.

They rode beside the walk and out at the open gate. Dick carried a
silver whistle, upon which he blew a signal for the rest of his men to
join them, and then he and the sergeant went slowly up the road. He was
deeply chagrined at the escape of the rifleman, and the curse of the
woman lay heavily upon him.

"I don't see how it was done," he said.

"Nor I," said the sergeant, shaking his head.