dragoons, he pushed forward with the remaining four until he reached the verge of the wood, just where it opened upon the settlement. Here he had a full view of the spectacle—his own party unseen—and the prospect was such as to compel his instant feeling of the necessity of early action. It was at the moment which exhibited old Sabb in the hands of the provost, his hands tied behind him, and the rope about his neck. Clymes, the lieutenant of Dunbar, with drawn sword, was pacing between the victim and the house. The old Dutchman stood between two subordinates, waiting for the signal, while his wife, little dreaming of the scene in progress, was kept out of sight at the bottom of the garden. Clymes and the provost were at once marked out for the doom of the rifle, and the _beads_ of two select shots were kept ready, and leveled at their heads. But Dunbar must be the first victim—and where was he? Of the scene in the house Coulter had not yet any inkling. But suddenly he beheld Frederica at the window. He heard her shriek, and beheld her, as he thought, drawn away from the spot. His excitement growing almost to frenzy at this moment, he was about to give the signal, and follow the first discharge of his rifles with a rush, when suddenly he saw his associate, Elijah Fields, turn the corner of the house, and enter it through the piazza. This enabled him to pause, and prevented a premature development of his game. He waited for those events which it is not denied that we shall see. Let us then return to the interior. We must not forget the startling words with which Elijah Fields interrupted the forced marriage of Frederica with her brutal persecutor. “The girl is already married.” Dunbar, still supporting her now quite lifeless in his arms, looked up at the intruder in equal fury and surprise. “Ha, villain!” was the exclamation of Dunbar, “you are here?” “No villain, Captain Dunbar, but a servant of the Most High God!” “Servant of the devil, rather! What brings you here—and what is it you say?” “I say that Frederica Sabb is already married, and her husband living!” “Liar, that you are, you shall swing for this insolence.” “I am no liar. I say that the girl is married, and I witnessed the ceremony.” “You did, did you?” was the speech of Dunbar, with a tremendous effort of coolness, laying down the still lifeless form of Frederica as he spoke; “and perhaps you performed the ceremony also, oh, worthy servant of the Most High!” “It was my lot to do so.” “Grateful lot! And pray with whom did you unite the damsel?” “With Richard Coulter, captain in the service of the State of South Carolina.”