“You can have them for gold!” she exclaimed, tottering to a closet, and rattling the cold iron. “I always keep them—it is necessary to my trade!” “Now for the bargain, old hag. You saw me enter that mill just now? Well, there is a captain confined, or will be confined before I leave him, in the upper loft. He will be fastened. You must feed him daily, just enough to keep life in him. I will give you a hundred to start upon—more money than you ever saw, old woman, and when I return, if you have well done your duty as keeper, I will give you another hundred. Will you be faithful and keep the prisoner in safety from rescue?” “I swear it by my magic art!” “Bah! blast your art! Swear it by the gold you will receive, and I’ll believe you. But come!” Green reëntered the mill followed by old Madge. He seized the helpless Hayward and bore him to an upper loft. There he fettered him with the chains. “And now I shall leave you here until we can attend to you at a more convenient time!” he muttered, as he gazed exultingly upon Hayward. He was about to leave him alone. “Stay but a moment!” cried the wounded man. “Tell me of my sister!” “She has become the wife of Colonel Brown, of the Confederate army, or, as _you_ know him, Captain Walker, of the Federals!” “Liar!” cried Hayward. “But no! I will not use such terms now. Do you know who struck the blow which so nearly deprived me of life?” “Yes; it was William Nettleton! He is also enlisted in the service of Walker. And I will tell you more. In two days after you disappeared, Lieutenant Wells was hung for your murder. Your sister fled with Walker, who pretended the greatest friendship for her. _I_ performed the ceremony, and to-night they are not three miles from you.” Hayward had become insensible, and sunk to the floor. Green saw this, and motioning to the old woman, they left him alone. “That is the game I want _you_ to play!” said Green, as they emerged from the mill. “Of course, all I have told him is false. But I want you to carry it out, because Colonel Price wishes it as well as Walker, and as he is a most dangerous man to our cause, I don’t care how poorly he gets along. It would be a good thing for us if he could never take the field again. So see that you do your duty!” Madge received her money, and agreed to follow all the instructions he had given her. Green now returned at once to the camp, and reported to Walker. It was just before the decision of the court-martial had been given, and that officer was free, not only from restraint, but from any thing which had, as yet, assumed a definite form. He was delighted with the intelligence, and resolved to take advantage of it soon as Wells could be thoroughly crushed. CHAPTER XI. _The Prison—The Wheel-room—Caged_ _The Life and Death Struggle._