The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1856-07-16

outlaws. The patriots speedily overhauled the
cabin, but the birds were flown; 1nglehardt
having removed his prisoners some days be-
fore. Balou was once more put on their track
The captives had been taken through the
county about the head of Cooper river, into an
almost inaccessible fastness buried in the Wild
erness of the swamp forest-a ridge in the dis
NAL region of thicket and quagnNre. A den of
solid logs received the boy, another the father
Inglehardt sought, again and again, to break
the stern resolution of the latter by showing
his son nearly starved to DEATH he himself hav
ing been given very scanty allowance offood.
but the spirit of the old patriot was still unsub
dued.
The regular main bodies of the two armies
were now in midsummer quarters the cavalry
of Sumter and Marion occasionally making at
tempts on the British garrisons. Amidst the
wild adventures of scouts and marauders.
an aristocratic home picture was presented in
the mansion of old Sinclair, where Rawden and
he were discoursing on the prospects of the
country, while Fitzgerald was playing chess
and making love to the beautiful Carrie in the
parlor. There was asudden alarm, asurprise,
and a skirmish with the enemy; the soldiers un
der the command of old Sinclair having hack
at Rawden's escort. The secret leaning of tie
family negroes towards the 'rebels," was in
voluntarily betrayed, and Rawdon counseled
the removal of the household to Charleston for
safety. ssg H- ... -- .....
Young Sinclair persevered in his search for
Mrs. Travis and her daughter. They. mean
time, encountering the negro Bram-servantt to
old Sincar-on their drive to Nelson's ferry,
were warned by him of the approach of ''Dick
of Tophet," and turning back, sought refuge
at the house of the widow Avinger. Within
an hour the gallop of horse was heard; the
scout, Dick, arrived; and ignorant that the fu-
gitives were there, he asked the widow for one
Of her books. She gave him the Pilgrim S
Progress, the we'll thumbed treasue of her
son, boy murdered by this same tory. She
also explained the picture to him. Dicks visit
was followed by hot pursuit of himself and
his party by the squadron of young Sinclair,
still prosecuting the vain search.
The authors heroine, Nelly, still domestica-
ted with Carrie Sinclair, in her clairvoyance
seeing her brother suffering forsook the refuge
offered by her new friends, to succor him.
The system Of torture to the fathers heart
devised by Inglehardt was pursued almost to
the boys death, without success, save in the
suffering inflicted; but unexpected mitigation
was afforded by the half relenting Of Dick of
Tophet, who had charge of Sinclair He visi-
ted him for the purpose Of hearing the book
read which he had received from the widow
and growing interested, rewarded the ooy with
biscuits and slices of bacon. Mat Floyd at this
time joined the recruits in Ing!ehardt's service,
and was one night discovered by his adventur-
Gus sister on the floor, among other drunken
rutiians, so fast asleep, her efforts failed to
awaken him. Hearing some one approach the
door, she slipped away among the bushes slept
in the thicket, but returned to the camping
ground the next night and vainly entreated her
brother to leave his dangerous companions
Dick paid another visit to his young captive,
and falling in drunken sleep during the read
ing, the boy obtained possession of his knife,
but, after the first impulse, rccoied from gain
ing his liberty by shedding the mans blood
At his waking, he restored the knife, and tolc
Dick how completely he had been in his power
Old Sinclair and his daughter, on their jour.
neyto Charleston, encountered Nelly Floyd,
who warned them of the warlike gathering al
Monks corner, and again left them. They found
the British camp in extreme confusion, sur
rounded by the wings, while the leaders were
deVlslng the best way to retreat The march
OF the British, and Hunters pursuit, were fol-
lowed by the skrimmage at Quinby, of which
the Slnclalrs were witnesses. The gouty old
gentleman, enraged at interruptions to his pro-
gress, fired at an American officer through the
window of his carriage; but was horror struck
at recognising his own son. Willie was not hurt,
however, and at his advice, the horses heads
were turned towards home, which they were
| nt tn hon tb,r Tbo
carriage was stopped by party of deserters,
the horses stolen, and the travellers left in de-
spair But the roll ofanother carriage and the
voice of the faithful old Bran, escorting Mrs.
Travis and her daughter to Nelson's ferry,
brought new hope; and the whole party being
accommodated in one vehicle, they returned to
the hospitable home of the widow Avinger.
Its painful to dwell on the crueties heaped
by lnglehardt on his hel pless prisoners and their
woeful interviews described by Simms, with his
accustomed relish for atrocities. Suspecting
Dick, the tory, had placed the boy with anoth
er gaoler, but the scout paid him stolen visits,
to hear the book read, and bring him food
Nelly still lowered around the encampment of
lnglehardt, imploring her wayward brother in
vain. Mrs Travis and Bertha were unknown
to the Sinclairs at their meeting, but the secret
of her name and betrothal to Willie, was reveal
ed by Bertha to Carrie, little dreaming that the
discourse was overheard. Dick OF Tophet was
the eavesdropper, and he resolved to carry off
Miss Travis, knowing that her marriage to his
captain would end the miseries of her father
and the boy, in whom he had become interest
ed. This netarious design he accomplished,
after having captured Bran, while lurking about
the tavern, frequented by his comrades. Anoth-
er coil was wound up by the capture of Mat
Floyd, while on an expedition to rob an old gen
tleman in the neighborhood.
The story now hastens to its conclusion
Ballou took Nelly Floyd prisoner and brought
her to Sinclair's camp, in the forest four miles
from Eutaw. She denied being associated with
Inglehardt's band of outlaws, though found
near their camp, and demanded her instant re-
lease with such passionate eagerness, that she
was at once set free. Life and death, she said,
were on her speed; the "vision" had shown
her the wretched Mat in mortal peril.
Sinclair visited his father and discovered the
abduction of his lady love just on the eve of the
battle of Eutaw. His friend St. Julien saved