weapons, so formidable in practised male hands, steadily pointed towards
the door, and uttering dire threats against the intruders,--presumed to
be Rebels, of course. Having maintained this tragical position for some
time, and hearing no further noise; we began to grow sleepy, and
extinguished our candle, returned to bed, and slept soundly till
morning. But that mystery remained unexplained. I was sure that the door
had been tried,--there could be no mistaking it. There was not the least
probability that any of the people had entered the house, burglars are
unknown on these islands, and there is nobody to be feared but the
Rebels.

The last and greatest alarm we had was after we had removed from
Oaklands to another plantation. I woke about two o'clock in the morning,
hearing the tramp of many feet in the yard below,--the steady tramp of
soldiers' feet. "The Rebels! they have come at last! all is over with us
now!" I thought at once, with a desperate kind of resignation. And I lay
still, waiting and listening. Soon I heard footsteps on the piazza;
then the hall-door was opened, and steps were heard distinctly in the
hall beneath; finally, I heard some one coming up the stairs. Then I
grasped my revolver, rose, and woke the other ladies.

"There are soldiers in the yard! Somebody has opened the hall-door, and
is coming up-stairs!"

Poor L., but half awakened, stared at me in speechless terror. The same
thought filled our minds. But Mrs. B., after listening for a moment,
exclaimed,--

"Why, that is my husband! I know his footsteps. He is coming up-stairs
to call me."