TWO SCOUTS. 179 



see you alone, sir." The trembling, invalided 

 paterfamilias was taken into an adjoining room, 

 and put through the usual course of questions 

 as to his age, place of birth, occupation, condi- 

 tion as to literacy, the number of negroes owned, 

 the amount of land, what relatives in the Rebel 

 army, to what extent a sympathizer with the 

 Rebellion, when he had last seen any Rebel sol- 

 diers or scouts or guerillas or suspicious per- 

 sons of any description, and so on, through the 

 tortuous and aggravating list that only a lawyer 

 could invent. Questions and answers were taken 

 down in writing. The sterner questions were 

 spoken in a voice audible to the terror-stricken 

 family in the adjoining room. The man, of 

 course, communicated nothing, and probably knew 

 nothing, of the least consequence. He was sent 

 to a third room and kept under guard. His 

 case disposed of, his wife was examined in like 

 manner, and then the other members of the 

 family. Finally, the coast being clear, our emis- 

 sary was sent for. He came into the room chuck- 

 ling with delight over this skilful exercise of 



