It was only for a moment, however, that Ellen yielded to weakness. Raising her head and brushing the tears from her eyes, she said, while crimson blushes overspread her face, “And now farewell—perhaps all this is wrong—but I could not see you leave me in anger.” “God bless you for those kind words,” said Albert. “But, Ellen, before you go, one more request. That miniature that hangs around your neck—is it too much to ask for it?” She hesitated: then, as steps were heard in the road, suddenly gave it to him. He drew a heavy signet-ring from his finger, and said, tendering it in exchange, “Take this, and let us be true to each other—so help us God!” And with this parting adjuration, he sprang over the fence to conceal himself behind the brushwood, while Ellen, hastening up the avenue, was soon lost to sight in the obscurity of the hour. The wind sighed mournfully through the pine woods as this betrothal was consummated, and the dark, starless sky overhead looked down with its weird and melancholy face. CHAPTER II. Heard ye the din of battle bray, Lance to lance, and horse to horse. GRAY. It is well known that, after the defeat of Gates, Congress hastened to supersede that general, and appoint Greene to succeed him. At the period of the incidents narrated in the last chapter, the new commander-in-chief had arrived in the South, and was organizing his forces. His very first proceeding showed the resources of an intellect, which, in military affairs, was second only to that of the “father of his country.” Aware that the initiatory step toward redeeming the South was to arouse the confidence of its people, he determined to divide his force. While, therefore, he moved with one portion down the Pedee, he despatched Morgan, with the remainder, west of the Catawba, in order to encourage the inhabitants in that quarter. Morgan’s corps was accompanied by Capt. Washington’s light dragoons, of which our hero had already become a conspicuous member. This division of his army, in the face of an active foe, would have been a capital error, but for the political advantages it offered, and which over-balanced the military ones. Cornwallis, then in command of the royal army, determined to frustrate the success of Greene’s plan, by cutting off Morgan’s detachment; and accordingly ordered Col. Tarleton, with his renowned dragoons, accompanied by a competent force of infantry, to give pursuit. It was on the 14th of January, 1781, a day ever to be remembered in the annals of our country, that the heroic Morgan learned the danger in which he stood. He determined immediately to give battle. For this purpose he halted at a place called the Cowpens, and having drawn up his troops, awaited, though not without anxiety, the appearance of the foe.