"Where do you purpose taking them!"
"To the dwelling of Captain Rogers, on the edge of the prairie, just west of the Wilson's creek battle-ground."
Another slight noise was heard among the underbrush, and Alibamo made a significant motion to some person, or to some imaginary object, and then all was silent.
Miss Hayward had partially recovered under the cooling effects of the water with which Alibamo had been bathing her brow. She opened her eyes, and then, with a shudder, closed them again. At length she said in a feeble tone:
"O brother! press me closer to your heart; I am cold—very cold!"
"Miss Hayward, your brother yet lives, and will be with you soon!" whispered Alibamo, as she bent over the fast recovering maiden.
"Oh! yes, my brother must live—he does live!" cried Mamie, starting up.
"Who is your brother?" asked one of the party.
Miss Hayward gazed upon the questioner, but turning away, she hid her face in the bosom of Alibamo and wept.
"I will answer for her!" replied Alibamo. "He is an officer in the Union army. He was taken prisoner while endeavoring to rescue me, who also have been kept as a hostage by that villain, Branch. It was the intention of Gen. Price to release or exchange this young lady's brother, but, he, to gratify his own fiend-like propensities, was about to disobey the express orders of the general, and hang young Hayward."