"What do you know about this attack upon Plain Hill, Lieutenant?" demanded Major Lyon, as the officer saluted him on his arrival. "Very little," replied the lieutenant, as he took a paper from his pocket, and handed it to the commander. "This note was brought here by a negro, who had run his horse all the way, I judged by the looks of the animal." "'The enemy are down upon us--within four miles of us.--HASBROOK,'" the major read from the paper, which was not a sealed letter. "It is addressed to you, Colonel Coffee," he added, as he turned it over and saw the name on the outside. "It has come to the right place," replied the magnate. "Who is Hasbrook?" asked the commander; for he had not yet heard the story of Plain Hill. "He is my brother-in-law, standing in about the same relation to Plain Hill that I do to Greeltop." "The negro that brought the paper is still here," said the lieutenant. The man was sent for at the request of the colonel. Major Lyon directed Captain Gordon to have all the horses fed, and to let the men have their suppers as soon as possible. Captain Truman had marched with nearly the whole of his company half an hour before, and must be near his destination by this time. The major and his companions had dismounted, and retired to the headquarters tent. "It is you who have brought this message, is it, Clover?" asked Colonel Coffee, as the man was shown into the tent by a sentinel. "This man is Hasbrook's steward," he added, turning to the commander. He was a mulatto of rather dark shade, was well-dressed, and looked like an intelligent person. "I brought the paper, sir," replied Clover. "Mr. Hasbrook sent me over with it, and told me to carry it to your house; but when I came to this camp I asked the soldier in front about it, and he sent for the officer. When I found the camp was of a Union company, I asked the captain to read the note, and he did so." "You did well, Clover; to have gone to my house would have delayed the relief," added the magnate. "The company started off at full gallop, and I stopped to see you," continued the steward. "But what do you know about the approach of the guerillas, Clover?" asked the colonel impatiently. "I don't know anything, sir. One of the Home Guards came to the mansion with the news that the guerillas were coming, and he sent me off with the best horse in the stable. I run him all the way, and I hope I have not hurt him." "No matter if you have. If the second company is like the first, they will bag the whole of the villains," said the colonel. "The Home Guard were all mounted and gathering in the square when I left. They said there was a hundred men coming down on the village," Clover concluded. Major Lyon had ordered supper for his party to be brought to his tent. It was camp-fare, but he invited the colonel and the clergyman to join him.