"Major Lyon, as you call him, is a thief and a robber!" yelled Titus. "The very guns and cannon you have turned against us to-night were stolen from me by him!" "At a meeting of the Union men of this vicinity last night, a vote of thanks was passed to Major Lyon for taking possession of the arms and ammunition found in a cavern; and we all stand by that vote," replied the colonel with dignity. "What do we care for the vote of a set of traitors to the State!" "This is not the time or the place to discuss the subject. I desire only to know what you and your mob are going to do about it." "We are going to have justice if there is any such thing left in the State." "It is your next move, Captain Titus." "I wish to be fair and reasonable," continued Titus, moderating his speech and manner. "I have done my best to keep the gentlemen with me from doing violence to them that stole our property, and"-- "And for that reason you became their leader and captain-general in an attempt to burn your brother's house and mine!" interjected the colonel. "No matter what we came out for; I have a plan to state that will settle the difficulty," Titus proceeded, struggling to keep cool. "State your plan, and be quick about it!" "If the stolen arms and things are returned to us at once, we will go to our several homes and let the matter end here," said Titus. "That's enough!" exclaimed Colonel Belthorpe indignantly. "Have you come over here under a flag of truce to say that?" "That is what I come here for; and I insist on't that the things be given up!" replied Titus, waxing wrathful. "Now you can retire with your flag of truce." "I won't do no such thing!" "If you won't I shall be obliged to open fire upon you and your mob; and you will be the first to fall," added the commander quietly. "Do you mean to murder us?" demanded Titus, aghast at the determined policy of the commander. "You have hemmed us in so that we can't get out, and now you mean to fire on us! I cal'late you've got a bone to pick with your feller-citizens for armin' niggers." "I can pick it without any help from you. Now, do you surrender, or shall I order my men to fire?" demanded the colonel so sternly that Titus was silenced. "I give you five minutes to consider my offer." "I don't want to be shot like a mule with a broken leg," said Swin Pickford, loud enough to be heard in the front rank. "Can't we make terms?" asked Titus, who was terribly alarmed. "No terms with a mob," replied the colonel. Half a dozen of the ruffians came forward to their leader, and it was evident that they were quite as much frightened as he was himself. Enough was heard from those in the front rank of the defenders to assure them they pleaded for surrender. Some of them farther back even shouted, "We surrender!" "I s'pose we can't do nothin' but surrender or be shot," resumed Titus.