Down the lawn from a point not far from the house to the main street
and beyond was a line of horsemen, keeping abreast and equidistant
from each other. What did it all mean? Facing the ridge on the left
of the lawn was an extensive grove, through which the avenue wound
in and out, and the line of horsemen was approaching this. Suddenly
the very earth trembled and she saw smoke pouring upward among the
trees from a rise of ground within the grove. All now became clear
to her. While she had slept, the Confederates had come up, taken
their position and the battle was beginning. In strong excitement
she rushed down to the hall below, where she found her aunts with
pallid, frightened faces. On the veranda was Mr. Baron, looking
white indeed, but with firm, compressed lips and fiery eyes,
watching the opening conflict.
"Go in," he said sternly, "this is no place for you."
In her intense absorption she did not even hear him. From the edge
of the grove and along the avenue were now seen little puffs of
smoke, followed by the sharp crack of carbines.
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