84 WHIP AND SPUR. 



ride came to an end, as all things must, and at 

 the edge of the town soldierly Rosa stood, to 

 report that the pickets were posted and our 

 quarters ready. Giving him a fresh detail to re- 

 lieve his pickets, and asking his company at our 

 midnight supper, we pushed on to our chosen 

 house. Here we foimd all in order, save that 

 the young lady of the family had so hastily put 

 on the jacket bearing the U. S. buttons of her 

 last summer's conquests, that she failed quite to 

 conceal the C. S. buttons on a prettier one un- 

 der it. She and her mother scolded us for driv- 

 ing the Rebel beaux from town, when there was 

 to have been a grand farewell ball only the next 

 night ; but they seemed in no wise impressed 

 with regret for the friends who had been killed 

 and wounded in the chase. It turned out that 

 Marmaduke had grown tired of reports that we 

 were marching on him in force, and would not 

 believe it now until his own men rode into town 

 at nightfall with the marks of Rosa's sabres on 

 their heads. The place had been filled with 

 the officers of his command, and he with them, 



