“I think the rest of this story is the most interesting of all,” murmured Aunt Selina, as she permitted her memory to roam in years long gone.

The children waited patiently for Aunt Selina to begin and, after a short moment, she sat up erect, looking fearfully out over the lawn, and spoke hurriedly.

“Right there before our very eyes we saw the Yankee regiment tear down the lane and swerve toward the road just taken by the Southern boys. They were still to be seen making for the woods just over the slope of the hill toward Nashville.

“We heard the captain shout, ‘Halt! Aim! Fire!’ and, as a volley rang out, many of the ladies on the piazza screamed or fainted, while Rebecca and I stood petrified at the result of that happy dinner.“Almost at the same time the Yankees fired there came the rattle of musketry from the woods which the boys had reached.

“From the veranda I saw several of the Yankees’ horses leap up and two of them rolled over on the ground. One man threw up his hands, fell over on his horse’s neck, and dropped his gun. The horse, frightened, started galloping directly toward the house. Tim, who was coming down the side steps, ran forward and caught hold of the bridle. Mr. Crudup and some of his friends lifted the young soldier from the saddle and carefully carried him up the piazza steps, and placed him on the floor.

“While much of my attention was distracted by this incident, the company of Yankees spurred their horses on toward the patch of woods where the Southerners were hidden.

“The firing continued for half an hour, while everyone at the house waited, fearing the worst and hoping against hope that their boys had gotten away to Nashville.

“Rebecca’s two brothers, cousins and old friends were all in that handful of men, and naturally those gathered at the house would wait until the outcome of the skirmish could be known.

“They had not long to wait, for, just as twilight deepened into night, the negroes came in with the report that all of the boys had been captured and were being taken as prisoners to the old school-house. In another half-hour the officers rode up to the door, followed by orderlies and an ambulance corps bringing in the wounded. Slaves were dispatched here and there for hot water, bandages, beds, bedding and medicine. We all hastened to prepare a place for those who needed our care and attention so sorely.

“As the wounded were carried up the steps and past the neighbors, who stood by watching for their own, Rebecca’s mother saw her youngest boy lying unconscious with his face white as death and his hair matted with blood that oozed from a wound in his neck. She almost fainted, but Rebecca held her firm, saying, ‘Mother, now is the time to brace up and take care of Newell that he may soon recover.’

“Of the Yankees, one was killed outright and five badly wounded, while the Southern boys sustained more serious injuries. Two were killed and nine wounded. The house was immediately turned into a hospital, both sides receiving the same attention.

“The officers were very considerate but insisted upon having their rights observed. When it was found that some foraging parties were in the neighborhood, the captain sent an orderly to say that the Crudup Plantation was well supplied. The Yankees, receiving the message, rode over, took what was needed, food, cattle and horses, and went away.

“Mr. Crudup spared his family the harrowing details of the raid, but looked upon it as the fortune of war and thanked heaven that so much of his property was safely buried.

“When the store-rooms, linen-presses, blanket-trunks, and cellars were found almost empty, the officer in charged looked surprised and wondered aloud.

“‘Most unusual to find so large an establishment short of all supplies, and a retinue of servants to feed, to say nothing of the droves of neighbors always coming in for supper.’

“Mr. Crudup overheard the soliloquy and replied courteously.

“‘Sir, do not forget that your company is not the first to stop here and demand my hospitality. Naturally, we would lavish our all upon our own men, you know.’

“The officers were very polite and interesting young men, but Rebecca and I had to go about the plantation very warily, for we never knew when we might be spied upon. Imp had to be cared for daily, so we found plenty of amusement in eluding the Yankees.

“The youngest of the officers was a handsome boy and it was not long before we became very friendly. When he learned that I was a Yankee and how I happened to be South, he insisted upon my returning home at once, saying that the neighborhood about Nashville soon would be an impossible place to live.

“When he found that my home was at Happy Hills he was greatly pleased.

“‘Why, I have called at your home many times; my sister and yours are school friends.’ He described his home and how his sister looked when she came to visit us, and I faintly recalled seeing him with the others who were some years my senior.

“From that day he became the sworn ally of Rebecca and myself. He understood there was a secret between us and often managed to screen us when we left the house to creep to the cavern to look after Imp.

“The wounded were getting along beautifully, and nothing exciting had occurred for a fortnight. Foraging parties that stopped at the house and found Yankees in possession moved on. It seemed more like a house-party.

“But a change soon took place.

“It was afterward learned that Ed Crudup escaped during the transfer of the prisoners from the school-house to the army; he found out from some of the Crudup slaves that the Yankees who shot his brother and imprisoned himself were holding the premises until further orders from Headquarters. So he raised a small company at Nashville and drilled them for a few days, planning to surprise the men at the house and take them prisoners.

“One day, while some of the Yankees were out foraging, Ed and his men came upon them suddenly and a skirmish ensued.

“Ed was shot down and so was our young officer who was in command of the foragers that day. The others fought like madmen, hand to hand, until the men at the house, hearing the shots, ran out to their assistance.

“The Southerners, outnumbered, took flight, but were pursued and captured.

“The two men, Ed and Vernon, lay still as death in the tall grass, and no one missed them at the time of the pursuit.

“Tim, however, on his way to water Imp, found his young master shot through the heart, and the young Yankee unconscious. In his faithful loyalty to the family, he decided to make a prisoner of the Yankee, so he dragged Vernon over to the waterfall, carried him through the spray, and laid him down on the mattress in the cave. The cold water which had fallen upon Vernon’s face had partially revived him, and he moaned as if in pain.

“Tim lighted the lantern and examined him. He found a clean bullet hole in his chest, but very little bleeding. He decided the best thing to do would be to notify the master. So, after attending to Imp, he crept out of the cave and went over to the remains of the young master. He managed to carry him until he met some of the slaves, then had them improvise a stretcher to carry the body to the house.

“There was great sorrow in the household, and his death changed the attitude of the Crudups toward the Yankee officers.

“When it was found that young Vernon was missing, with no trace of him anywhere, it was thought that he had been taken captive by a few of the Confederates who got away. Rebecca and I felt dreadfully lonesome after our friend was missing, and I wished, for the first time since I came South, that I could go home.

“Then one morning, Rebecca and I decided to go through the hole in the live-oak tree and crawl to the cave to see Imp. We had not dared to visit him for some days, as a Yankee sentry was stationed in the woods by the waterfall.

“Rebecca hid a small lantern under her cloak and we strolled unconcernedly down the lane toward the dell. We looked carefully about to make sure no spies were watching, and in another minute both of us disappeared. We groped along until we reached the opening into the cave and as we crawled out near Imp’s bed, he greeted us with a joyful whinny. Rebecca ran over and placed her hand over his mouth, so she did not see the apparition that stared at me from the mattress. Had I held the lantern I would have dropped it. As it was, I almost dropped myself, so frightened was I.

“I clutched Rebecca’s arm and she turned about to see what ailed me. In a second she recognized Vernon and ran over with the lantern. As he could not tell us how he came there, but confided that Tim and Mr. Crudup came daily to attend to him, we learned that they knew of his whereabouts. Rebecca snapped her teeth close and her eyes blazed at the thought of her father keeping this man a prisoner in such a suffocating place.

“While we were there, Tim and Mr. Crudup crept through the tunnel and found us talking to the sick man.

“‘Becky, better leave this business to us,’ suggested Mr. Crudup.

“‘Father, how could you keep this man in such a place?’ cried Rebecca, unguardedly.

“‘Ssh!’ warned Tim, apprehensively.

“Mr. Crudup told Rebecca how Tim had carried Vernon here to square accounts for Ed’s death; how he had shown Tim the folly of the deed, and that being done, it had to be made the best of, or disclose the secret of the cave. Tim was so repentant that he agreed to remain in the cave and nurse the prisoner.

“After our discovery, Rebecca spent several hours with Vernon each day reading or talking to him, while Imp began to show his fondness for Vernon in every way a horse can.

“Matters at the house became troublesome, for the larder was empty, and there was no way to get at the great store-rooms dug out of the ground without letting the Yankees into the secret.

“Tim had been very meek since he found the serious blunder he had made with Vernon, and he was eager to make amends in any way.

“From the time that Tim heard of the threatened famine he was seldom seen about the place. Now and then, one of the family would meet him coming from the basement with his face and hands smeared with black, but he never confided in anyone as to his work or whereabouts, and being an aged favored man, Mr. Crudup never questioned him.

“One morning the cook entered the room where the family was gathered and announced: ‘There ain’t no aigs fer brekfus.’

“‘Have plain ham or bacon,’ suggested Mrs. Crudup.

“‘De ham an’ bacon done all et up, too,’ said cook.

“Mrs. Crudup looked deeply concerned, but said: ‘Then we’ll have just coffee and muffins.’

“‘Done used all de flour yistiddy—not a smitch lef’.’

“Here, indeed, was a quandary! Nothing to eat!

“This was Tim’s opportunity.

“He came in, bowed with old hat in his hand, and turned to the cook with the request, ‘You please ’scuse yo-se’f fum de room whiles I conflab wid de missus?’

“Cook tossed her head and went out, followed by everyone except Mr. and Mrs. Crudup.

“Tim turned his hat about in his hands for a time and then looked up smilingly and said: ‘I done squared myself wid you all fer makin’ dat blunner ’bout the Yank. I done gone and dug a tunnel fru fum de coal cellah to the fust storehouse on de fiel’. I fixed a doh to the cellar an’ heah’s de key to de padlock.’

“‘You what!’ exclaimed Mr. Crudup, in amazement.

“‘Yas’m, das whad I did!’ said Tim.

“Mr. Crudup threw back his head and laughed while he slapped Tim on the back and said, ‘Tim, it will take more than a company of Yankees to starve us out while you are about!’

“But Mrs. Crudup took Tim’s hand and thanked him with tears in her eyes.

“The supply question was easily solved after that. No one but Tim knew where the tunnel was, for Mr. Crudup never allowed anyone to be about when the old servant started his daily trip to the underground store-rooms. Oftentimes, the officers expressed their wonder as to how Southern cooks could manage the way they did, with so little on hand to cook with. If they suspected the truth they never hinted at it.

“The secret of Vernon’s prison had been kept, and several weeks after the fight that disabled him, his company was ordered to join the main army. The moment the place was entirely freed from the Yankees, Mr. Crudup ordered one of the guest-rooms prepared, and, to the surprise of Mrs. Crudup, told her he had a prisoner to bring in. That night Vernon was blindfolded, placed upon a stretcher, and taken to the house.

“As soon as he could sit up and come down upon the veranda, we wondered what to do with him. He was our prisoner but we had no use for him. Everyone liked him and disliked sending him to the dirty barrack-jail in Nashville.

“Suddenly Rebecca was inspired with a brilliant plan.

“When the Yankee officers left the place they took the convalescent prisoners with them. Now Rebecca suggested that negotiations be started to exchange Vernon for Newell.

“Mr. Crudup immediately sent Tim to Nashville to see if this could be done, and friends there promised to attend to it without delay. Consequently, in a few days, a number of soldiers from Nashville rode to the Crudup house and carried away the prisoner, giving Mrs. Crudup the slip of paper that stated that Newell’s freedom would be granted upon the return of Vernon.

“We all felt sorry about losing Vernon, but he promised to visit me at Happy Hills when the war was over.”

Aunt Selina stopped and the children began plying questions.

“Aunt Selina, what became of Imp?” asked Dot.

“We kept him in the cave for a few days more, and then, one morning, the negroes all turned green with fear when they saw Rebecca riding Imp down the road from the paddock, for they believed Imp to have been taken with the other horses, and were sure that this was a ghost of the real Imp.” And Aunt Selina laughed as she recalled Rebecca’s mad ride down the lane and the high wall Imp vaulted before he stopped stock still in front of the quaking, superstitious slaves.

“Did Newell come back home?” asked Betty, whose sympathy was all for the mother who lost one boy and then had the other one taken prisoner.

“We received word of his transfer from the Yankee army to his own. He went into active service again and fought all through the rest of the war. He won many honors for bravery before the Confederate Army was disbanded.”

“Do you know what became of him afterwards?” asked Don, interested in such a fighter.

“He married and settled out West upon a large ranch. Now and then Rebecca’s daughter has a letter from him, giving news of his children or the grandchildren.”

“Oh, then, Rebecca married too. Did you know who it was?” asked several curious voices.

“Yes,” smiled Aunt Selina. “She married the very beau she had selected for me.”

“I am so anxious to know if that fine old house is still there and if we could find the cave and underground store-rooms if we ever went there?” asked Norma.

“No, dear; the beautiful old mansion was entirely destroyed by fire started from a shell during the time the battle line closed about Nashville. I was not there at the time, but Rebecca wrote and told me of the dreadful scenes. Almost every family for miles about was left homeless and destitute. The Pines, Rebecca’s home, stood as long as any and sheltered every homeless Southerner round about.”

“I guess Rebecca liked to remember that, didn’t she?” said Ruth.

“Yes, indeed, Fluff.”“Aunt Selina, you didn’t tell us what became of Imp and Rebecca that day she rode up to the house,” reminded Ned.

“Rebecca laughed at the servants’ fear and rode Imp over to the steps of the piazza. We stood watching her as she jumped off and led Imp right up to the rail. ‘Lady,’ said she to me, ‘this horse just told me that he was going North on a little visit. As there is no one here but you who can take him there, I believe he intends taking you home.’ Although Rebecca’s eyes filled with tears and her voice trembled, we all laughed and made a great fuss over Imp.

“Later, she confided to me that she had entrusted Vernon with the request to secure a passport for Selina Talmage and her horse, Imp, going home to Happy Hills, Pennsylvania. The passport came that day in a letter for Rebecca explaining how I was to go and to whom I was to entrust myself. A note for me was inclosed in the letter, and I read it with a smile. Vernon said he would demand payment for the favor given me as soon as he reached Happy Hills. Rebecca teased me about that note and said that she knew what the favor would be, for Vernon was in love with me. I pooh-poohed the suggestion but felt very glad to pack my clothes for home. In a few days word came that I was to ride to a certain town where an escort would meet me and conduct me to the nearest railroad. And so Imp and I went home.”

“And now tell us, Aunt Selina, did Vernon come home and ask that favor?” wondered Norma, interested in a love-story.

“Oh, yes! He had leave of absence for several months to fully recover from the wound that had partially punctured a lung. He used to ride over to Happy Hills every day, and I tell you we missed him when he returned to his regiment.”

“Where is he now, Aunt Selina?” asked Ruth.

“Gone—his name is carved on the monument at Washington for bravery in the Battle of Bull Run,” whispered Aunt Selina.

“Oh, oh, Aunt Selina! Is he the same one you told me about last spring?” gasped Ruth.

Aunt Selina dabbed her tear-moistened eyes and tried to smile as she said, “The same, Honey.”

“What’s that—tell us, Aunt Selina; we never heard about it,” cried several children.

“Well, Vernon came back North about a year after his leave of absence expired with important letters for a general in Philadelphia. After delivering the letters he was to have two days’ leave in which to go home and see his folks. He rode over to our house one evening and asked my father and mother if he might pay court to me when the war was over. My parents were delighted, for they knew him and liked him. Vernon and I walked out to the very summer house that Ruth was in when she thought of the farm plan, and there he told me what he had said to my parents. He would not bind me, for he said he might never come back. But I said it would make no difference to me—if he never returned I would wait just the same. We exchanged rings—one which had been given me for my birthday and one he had received on his twenty-first birthday. When he left that night mother gave him a paper, but I never knew what was in it until later. When news of his bravery and death came home, the letter contained a ring and a small daguerreotype picture of me. Then mother said he had asked for it the night he went away.”

“Oh, Aunt Selina, how lovely of you!” cried several little girls as they crowded about the old lady and hugged her.

“Rebecca did not return to school again, but as soon as the war was over we wrote and invited Mr. and Mrs. Crudup to bring Rebecca North to visit us. The elders were too heart-sore to come to a country they blamed for all their losses, but Rebecca came and stayed a long time.”