“A profound sentiment!” laughed Stuart, and riding on without further words, he left the countryman free to proceed on his way. We crossed a little stream, rode on toward Fleetwood, and had nearly reached Brandy when Stuart suddenly reined in his horse. “Do you know what I think,” he said, “that I have done a foolish thing?” “What, general?” “To let that old fellow go on. I don’t like his looks.” “The old countryman?” “Yes; I wish I had arrested him--him and his wife.” “Arrested them?” Stuart nodded. “I have an instinct about rascals, Surry; and something tells me that I have been guilty of an imprudence.” “Was not his explanation satisfactory?” “No.” “What could be wrong?” “Everything.” “And his ‘old woman,’” I said, laughing; “think of that highly respectable dame.” “I like her least of all!” “From instinct?” “If you choose.” “I think your instinct misleads you this time, general.” “I think not.” “Well, we will see.” And we did see. In two hours the head-quarters tents were pitched upon Fleetwood Hill beyond Brandy, and Stuart sent his provost marshal to Culpeper Court-House, with orders to conduct the prisoner taken by Mohun on the preceding night, to General Lee, for examination. An hour afterward the worthy provost returned in hot haste with the astounding information that the fair lady was nowhere to be found. She had disappeared from her chamber, none knew how, before daylight, and as a notoriously suspected individual who had lately been hanging round the tavern had disappeared too, it was probable that they had gone off together. Upon this point, a note left by the lady directed to “General Stuart” would probably give information. This had been found upon her table. And the provost wound up by handing the note to Stuart. He read it with an air of decided ill-humor. Then throwing it upon his desk, burst into a laugh. “Well, Surry,” he said, “who is right and who is wrong, now? Read that!” And he pointed to the note, which I opened and read. It was in a delicate female hand, and ran as follows:-- “General Stuart will pardon the attempt his captive is about to make, to effect her escape. He made himself quite charming in their brief interview, but liberty is sweet. Finding a friend unexpectedly in this quarter of the world, I have made every arrangement with him; he is a great master of disguises, and, though the travelling costume which I shall adopt will make me look hideous, I hope it will enable me, before sunrise, to pass a private ford, known to my friend alone, and reach the opposite bank of the Rappahannock. “Farewell, my dear general. If all the rebels were like yourself, I might change my politics. I have but one other friend in your army--Colonel Mohun, of the cavalry. Present my regards to him, and say that _we will meet again_.” That was all. I raised my eyes from the paper, and looked at the general with stupefaction. “Then that ‘old woman’ was the lady?” “Precisely.” “And we are fooled?”