Bad Hugh

It is more than a year now since last we looked upon the inmates of

Spring Bank, and during that time Kentucky had been the scene of

violence, murder, and bloodshed. The roar of artillery had been heard

upon its hills. Soldiers wearing the Federal uniform had marched up and

down its beaten paths, encamping for a brief season in its capital, and

then departing to other points where their services were needed more.

Morgan, with his fierce band of guerillas, had carried terror, dismay,

and sometimes death, to many a peaceful home; while Harney, too,

disdaining open, honorable warfare, had joined himself, it was said, to

a horde of savage marauders, gathered, some from Texas, some from

Mississippi, and a few from Tennessee; but none, to her credit be it

said, none from Kentucky, save their chief, the Rebel Harney, who

despised and dreaded almost equally by Unionist and Confederates, kept

the country between Louisville and Lexington in a constant state of

excitement.

At Spring Bank, well known as the home of stanch Unionists, nothing as

yet had been harmed, thanks to Alice's courage and vigilance, and the

skill with which she had not only taught herself to handle firearms, but

also taught the negroes, who, instead of running away, as the Wendell

Phillips men of the North seem to believe all negroes will do, only give

them the chance, remained firmly at their post, and nightly took turns

in guarding the house against any attack from the guerillas.

Toward Spring Bank Harney had a peculiar spite, and his threats of

violence had more than once reached the ears of Alice, who wisely kept

them from the nervous, timid Mrs. Worthington. At her instigation, Aunt

Eunice had left her home in the cornfield, and come to Spring Bank, so

that the little garrison numbered four white women, including crazy

Densie, and twelve negro servants.

As the storm grew blacker, it had seemed necessary for Colonel Tiffton

openly to avow his sentiments, and not "sneak between two fires, for

fear of being burned," as Harney wolfishly told him one day, taunting

him with being a "villainous Yankee," and hinting darkly of the

punishment preparing for all such.

The colonel was not cowardly, but as was natural he did lean to the

Confederacy. "Peaceful separation, if possible," was his creed; and

fully believing the South destined to triumph, he took that side at

last, greatly to the delight of his high-spirited Nell, who had been a

Rebel from the first. The inmates of Spring Bank, however, were not

forgotten by the colonel, and regularly each morning he rode over to see

if all were safe, sometimes sending there at night one or two of his own

field hands as body guard to Alice, whose courage and intrepidity in

defending her side of the question he greatly admired.