this man Lowrie in the Federal camps, and I would rather die than fall
into his hands."

I had heard of him also, and of his outrageous treatment of women. The
memory caused me to clasp my hand warmly over hers, and set my teeth
hard.

"It may not prove to be Lowrie at all," I said soberly; "but all these
gentry are pretty much alike, I fear. However, I promise that you shall
never fall alive into the hands of any of their breed."

Before she could answer me other than by a slight nestling closer in
the darkness, Bungay whispered: "This yere hole, Cap, leads down ter
the right, an' comes out in a sort o' gully 'bout a hundred feet back.
Thar's light 'nough ter see ter walk by a'ter ye turn ther corner 'bout
twenty feet er so. You uns kin go on down thar if ye 'd rather,
follerin' ther dorgs, but I reckon as how I'll stay right yere an'
sorter see how ther ol' woman comes out.

"'Where, where was Roderick then?
One blast upon his bugle horn
Were worth a thousand men.'

"If you uns like ter see a durned good fight maybe ye better stay tew--
ther ol' woman is pisen if she once gits her dander up."

His voice was expressive of great expectations, and I had reason to
believe his faith in Maria would be justified. Before any of us,
however, had time to change our positions we heard the fellows come
stamping roughly into the cabin. The thin slabs which divided us