White Cloud Kansas chief. [volume] (White Cloud, Kan.) 1857-1872, 1858-07-22
pair. Harrison turnedI on him plloOus


look and screamed for mercy.
"Justice,. oh God. not vengeance, :"
burst from the lips Of the partisan, and
his descending sword glittered in the
moonbeams, and fell like thunderbolt
upon the scull of the tory!
When Michael and his companions
reached the spot, they found Conyers ga
zing sadly uron the coFFse Of his foe.
"a 1t is all over now, Mike, said he in
a tone of sadness to his young lieutenant
" l never sought an enemy more eagerly,
or slew one more reluctantly. / trihed
with and spared him as long as revenge
ranked in my heart, and when that was
gone, / slew him. I feel that my days
are now nearly numbered. One more
blow in the service Of my country, and
my heart tells me. / shall be even as he,
save the inglorious cause in which he fell.
But let us return speedily, for the fight
may not yet be over" -,s--f II
The party having secured the horse Of
the fallen tory, then returfed to the camp.
The battle, if such it could be called, had
already ceased, and when they reached the
fpot, they found that Marion had already
posted his sentinels, and taken every pre-
caution for his security during the night
The sumptuous feast prepared by the
tories was eaten by uabidden and unex-
pected guests. The wearied and famished
soldiers of Marion fell to the abundant
cheer with well whetted appetites, and
kept up the feast to a late hour of the
night. The deliverance of Michael, and
the events of the nights surprise, formed
the chief topics of conversation among
them. Michael's friends everywhere gath.
cred around him with rude but hearty
congratulations.
my situation was rather desperate
one, boys" said Michael, as crowd of
his comrades gathered around him "but
1 kept in heart when / heard Randal's
voice from the swamp. His hooting does
the owls but little credit it could impose
upon none but raw British recruit or q
drunken tory"
GA good reason why Randall acted the
owl so badly" said one, " he lost his old
blanket at the camp on Pee Dee, and has
had bad cold ever since"
But why was all this hooting. boys"
asked Michael what was the object
of it 2"
"Well, Mike" said an old weather
beaten rifeman, al tell you all about
that. Marion knew he wouldn't have a
minnit to spare, and so some ten miles
before when we struck into the swamp,
he put off dozen of the boys, under the
lead of an old swamp sucker, who was
to ride under whip and spur, and station
them along the best crossing on the
swamp, agin the time the general came
up, and they was to signal along from
one place to another by hooting, and they
led us from one to the other, until we
came out on this side the swamp. We
got knocked off before we reached the
swamp, and so lost an hour but Marion
led the way across the swamp on old Ball,
from owl to owl, and he was afraid we'd
get here too late, that he led us across a
good part of the swamp over cypress
knees, and at a gallop. But Jack Rug
giles, who knows the swamp well, was
among the first that got over, and he's
had you under his rife since sunset, and
Jack rifle throws true ball, you know"
"And that was Jacks rife then, /
suppose" asked Michael, " that tumbled
over my hangman so opportunity 2"
" Oh, no !" answered dozen, "Cap-
tain Conyers said he'd trust no eye but
his own to draw a bead when your life
was at stake, and so he did the business"
(" IT WAS SHOT IN TIME" replied Nj
chael with much emotion.
Lieutenant Allscot," said an officer
stepping up and tapping him on the
shoulder, "you are wanted at the Gener-
al's tent" 5 ra'o @ "A
"True, 4" said Michael starting up, 81
have not yet paid my respects to Marion.
Lead on, however, and l will follow"
Marion had already taken possession Of
the well furnished tent, so lately occupied
by the leader of the tories, who with ma
ny of the misguided men whom he had
seduced from the path of duty, were
sleeping the long sleep of death on the
field of battle.
Conyers and some two or three of his
most confidential officers were in the tent
with Marion. and they all rose upon the
entrance of Michael, and greeted him
with a warmth and cordially which
showed the deep interest he had excited
among them foremost among them in
expressing his congratulations was Marion
himself. When the first words of well
come were over, Marion, who seldom
descended to Jest, turned, with quiet
smile upon his countenance, to Michael,
and said:
az am sorry, lieutenant, to find so
brave and gallant soldier as yourself
deficient in gratitude."
Michael started and REDEEMED. ,
Deficient in gratitude. General, ex-
claimed he surely, General, you esti
mate my character better than to accuse
me of that. / have but few minutes
since returned from following after my
friend and captain. and had intended to
call upon you, and thank you for the So
licitous care Of one of the humblest of
your soldiers, so soon as / believed you
at leisure to accept of my thanks"
"You mistake me. lieutenant" said
Marion, gravely. "You have not yet
inquired how / became aware Of your
dangerous situation. You surely should
reward the messenger who brought me
such timely information"
Most gladly win | do 50 sir" replied