“I hardly think half a dozen men would do that,” she answered gravely. “I suppose you would like to begin your search at once, however,” she continued as she threw open the parlor door. “You can walk in and examine at your leisure. You will pardon my leaving you, we have friends to tea. Sallie Tom will show you every inch of space in the house.” She bowed to them courteously and left. The two men looked at each other blankly for a moment, and then the younger one began to laugh at the expression on the other man’s face. “This beats my time,” he said softly to the one in command—a lieutenant, evidently, from his uniform. They lowered their voices so that Sallie Tom couldn’t hear. “I’ll bet an even hundred that fellow’s about here somewhere, and that girl’s determined to save him. She’s the coolest thing I’ve struck since I entered the service, and by long odds the prettiest. Did you notice her eyes?” “Hush,” said the other, “that old woman’s a regular hawk, she’s pretending not to notice. Come, we must search the house thoroughly, though it’s a nasty piece of business. I wish that girl hadn’t been so polite.” The two men began to walk around the room, looking more at the many old and elegant things it contained, than with any expectation of finding a clue here to the hiding place of any rebels that might be in the house. Their looks and bearing gave evidence that they were gentlemen, who, while they disliked their invasion of private property, were determined to obey to the letter the orders they had undertaken to fill. These orders were to capture the daring scout of General H⸺ and bring him to where their company was camping temporarily, some five miles below “White Point.”