Jennison was beside himself with rage, and after pursuing Jerry until all hopes of catching him had ended, he returned to the Templeton place, and, calling the old man to the door, he denounced him in the most violent terms, calling him a sneaking rebel, who made his house a rendezvous for murderers. Mr. Templeton drew himself up proudly. "I may be what you call a rebel," he exclaimed, "but I am not a sneaking one. My heart and soul are with the South in her struggle for liberty, and every one knows it. As for the men you call guerrillas, I can no more help their coming here than I can help your coming." "You lie, you old scoundrel!" shouted Jennison. "You invite them to come, and aid them in their nefarious work. The murderers you have been harboring hanged two of my men yesterday, almost at your very door, and no doubt you looked on and approved." "I did no such thing," answered Mr. Templeton. "I did not know of the deed until it was done; then I told Alcorn never again to set foot on my premises." "More lies, you canting old hypocrite. Do you know what I am going to do with you?" shouted Jennison. "I am in your power; you can do anything you wish," answered Mr. Templeton, with dignity. "I am going to shoot you, and burn your house," yelled Jennison. "You will never harbor any more guerrillas." At these words, Agnes sprang before her father, with a scream. "If you shoot any one, shoot me--not him," she said. "If there has been any harboring, it is I who am to blame. I have harbored those fighting to rid our State of such as you, and I glory in it. Shoot me--not him." Lawrence and Dan just now rode up and gazed in astonishment at the scene. The girl stood in front of her father, her arms outspread, her bosom heaving with excitement, her eyes blazing, inviting the deadly volley. Her tragic attitude, her wondrous beauty, awed the men, and they lowered the guns that had been raised to slay the father. "Drag her away, and shoot!" commanded Jennison, with an oath. "Hold!" cried Lawrence. "Colonel Jennison, do you realize what you are doing? What does this mean?" "It means I'm going to shoot this old villain and burn the house. It means I am going to put an end to this harboring of guerrillas, if I have to burn every house in this accursed State," thundered Jennison. "Now drag the girl away." "The first man that touches that girl dies!" cried Lawrence, drawing his revolver. "I'm with you," said Dan, drawing his revolver, and taking his place by Lawrence's side. For a moment Colonel Jennison was too astonished to speak; then his face turned livid with passion. "Young man," he hissed, "do you know what you are doing? By a word I can have you both shot--shot for mutiny--and, by God! I ought to say the word."