"I was hasty about BOB. My friend, GENERAL EVANS, has just come in from Leesburg. I must explain this matter to him and get BOB discharged; for BOB may be of great service to us, my dear, when the Yankees take possession." Mrs. ORDETH understood her husband well enough to appreciate this remarkable change in his sentiments, and refrained from exhibiting any astonishment at this speech. She only answered: "You know best, VICTOR." The head of the house received this judicious reply in full payment of all demands on his wife's attention, and immediately went forth to put his designs into execution--as fine a specimen of the Southern Union man as ever welcomed the advent of the loyal army with enthusiasm, and immediately presented a bill for damages sustained in the cause of Freedom! CHAPTER VIII.--WITHOUT END. Seated upon the lounge where _he_ so often had rested, with her elbows resting upon the table on which _his_ arms had so frequently reposed, sat the afflicted LIBBY. She had heard her paternal leave the house an hour before, and she had just heard the sound of his boots in the hall below as he returned; but she felt no desire to learn the reason thereof. Like her mother, she had seen the account of MR. PETERS' arrest in the morning paper, and her bewilderment at the statement respecting the device used to entrap that persecuted youth by a Daughter of the South, was only equalled by her grief at the unfortunate present predicament of her lover. So absorbed was she in her sorrows that she heard not the opening of the parlor door below her, nor the sound of footsteps on the stairs:-- "Miss ORDETH!" Was it a dream? The beautiful mourner turned quickly in the direction of the sound, and beheld the bodily presentment of Mr. BOB PETERS, who stood near the door with his shocking bad hat between his hands and an expression of stern reproach upon his countenance. "BOB!--you here?" exclaimed the maiden, starting from her seat with a little shriek. "Mr. PETERS, if you please, Madame," said the late captive, with much dignity. "Owing to a great spread of Union sentiment in the bosom of your paternal relative, and his consequent representation in my behalf, I _am_ here, to blast you with the sight of the innocence you have betrayed! I slipped up here to confront you, Madame," observed Mr. PETERS, with some ease of manner, "while the old ones were packing the silver-plated spoons preparatory to a combined movement on the peaceful hamlet of Danville." "What do you mean, you ridiculous thing?" asked LIBBY, scarcely believing her own ears.