Out of the deep, clear sky overhead the stars shone softly, but afar in the northwest lay great masses of clouds. Constant flashes of lightning shot over them, and through the profound silence came the dull mutterings of thunder. It was a good time for the raiders to be abroad, and the thought quickened Ephraim’s steps. He felt sure they would come before moonrise. On the other side of the ridge he traversed a wilder region of country. Half an hour’s rapid walking brought him to a small clearing, surrounded by a low rail-fence. In the centre of the clearing stood a cabin, a stream of ruddy light pouring from its open door. It was where the Coles lived. Two fierce hounds greeted Ephraim’s approach with loud, hostile barking, and when he called out to them a young woman appeared at the door with a child on her breast—Elisha Cole’s sister-in-law. "Any o’ the men folks at home, Mis’ Cole?" Ephraim inquired, leaning over the fence. "No; John an’ his pap have gone over to Fannin County, an’ ’Lishy’s just started to the ’stillery." "Oh!—just started, you say?" "Yes; he ain’t been gone five minutes. Won’t you come in, Eph’um?" "Not to-night, Mis’ Cole. I ’lowed I’d see ’Lishy before he got off." With a brief good-night he turned away, following a trail leading down through a ravine. It was a wild, lonely way, and so dark that one could scarcely see an inch ahead. But the pathway presently took an upward turn, and the gray starlight penetrated the sparse underbush. He heard the snapping of twigs ahead of him, and whistled softly. Then the sound of stealthy footsteps fell upon his alert ears. He ran forward a few paces, not daring to speak; then he stumbled over the prostrate body of a man. "’Lishy," he whispered, peering into the upturned face. "Is it you, Eph’um?" "Yes; what’s the matter?" "The raiders they tied me; they’re lookin’ for Jed Bishop." It was the work of an instant for Ephraim to get out his knife and to cut the thongs binding Elisha’s hands and feet. But the prostrate man had not scrambled up before the revenue-officers were down upon them again. Ephraim snatched his gun, and leaped between Elisha and his foes. "Get out of the way if you can!" he cried to his friend, and fired blindly at the officers. Early the next morning, as Armindy sat on the entry steps engaged in sewing some patchwork together before the out-door occupations of the day began, a neighbor rode up and hailed her father. "Heard about the raid last night?" "No!" exclaimed Mr. Hudgins, hastening to the fence. "Who’d they get?" "Nobody but Eph’um Hurd." Armindy dropped her work, her face growing white, her lower lip caught between her clenched teeth. "It seems they’d caught ’Lishy Cole, an’ was lookin’ for Jed Bishop, when Eph’um come up an’ set ’Lishy free again. He hadn’t more’n done it when up come the raiders, an’ ’Lishy says Eph’um fit like old Satan hisself, shootin’ at ’em tell ’Lishy cleared out."