We went into the house. On a couch lay a very aged woman, who, I thought, was childish. Mr. Wade and Mr. Magness were old friends, and talked as country neighbors talk, of crops, and roads, and men, and places. At last Mr. Magness said: "I saw Edward Jones yesterday, and he told me they had had a letter from Joel, and that he wrote they were leaving Corinth, and had been attacked. His regiment was defeated, and he had to run for his life." The old lady, at this, rose up and said: "Say that over, sir." Mr. Magness repeated it. "He is my own grandson," said the old lady. "The night before he went he came here, and I told him never to fight against his country--the country his forefathers fought for. He said, 'Grandmother, they will call me a coward if I don't go.' A coward! I would let them call me anything, I told him, before I would fight against my country. But he went. And, now, what do you tell me? He is my own grandson--my own flesh and blood--so I can't wish him killed," said the old lady, with great feeling; "but, I thank God--I thank God _he has had to run for his life_!" Our early dinner finished, Mr. Magness took his departure, and we started. "We will stop at my brother-in-law's, captain," said Mr. Wade, "and get you a better saddle. It is only a mile from here." So we rode quietly along. "We will pass our member of Assembly," said Mr. Wade. "It is about a mile from my brother-in-law's. He is a true man, I tell you. The secesh would give anything to get him." By this time we reached his brother-in-law's. A little girl was in the yard, and, as we stopped, came to the gate. "Well, uncle," said the little girl, "are you running away again from the rebel soldiers?" "No," said Mr. Wade, cheerfully, "--oh no: there are no rebels round now." "Yes, there are," said the girl. "Father has just come from Farmington, and there are four hundred there." "What! four hundred in Farmington!" "It is so, brother," said a woman who had come out--"it is so. They came there this morning; and husband hurried back to tell the neighbors." "Captain," said Mr. Wade, "the sooner you and I get out of this country the better for us." "How far is it back to Farmington?" "Only four miles." "Is there any reason for their coming down this road?" "Yes: Hinckley, the member we elected, lives on it, and Jones, who helped elect him, lives on it, and I live on it. They would like to arrest us all. But about half a mile from Hinckley's there is a little side-path we can take for five or six miles." Could we have ridden on a gallop, the side-path would have been reached before the threatening danger could have reached us; but, unfortunately, the pain in my side had increased so that we could not go faster than a walk. I tried a trot for a moment, but could not bear it, and reined up. "Do you ride on, Mr. Wade," I said: "there is no need of our both being taken." But Mr. Wade refused.