The Buchanan County guardian. (Independence, Buchanan County, Iowa) 1858-1864, 1861-10-08

where, after proceeding few steps, IA,
leader halted and began exploring Will
his hands, until it lighted upon the latcl
of the door in the wall. Placing hi
mouth close to my ear, he again whis
pered me that i, WAS of vital lmportanc,
that we cast off our shoes and carry then
in our hands, as by leaving them behind
they might be found by the enemy anc
thus become the means of betraying us
Accordingly, in few seconds, We stood
in our stockings ready to pursue to the
last limit the windings of the adventure
Noiselessly lifting the door-latch, --
led the way into a passage, if possible
darker than the outside gloom from which
we entered.
DISCOVERY OF THE AMMUNITION.
Cropping our way we carefully ad
vanced, and reached the foot of flight
Of stairs, which, at sign from my com
panion, we ascended as swiftly as the
imperative necessity for a perfect silence
permitted. We reached the landing,
whose extent was hidden in the same
impenetrable darkness, raversed it for
the distance Of several feet, and al length
arrived at a door, which H attempt
ed to open, but found locked. This he
assured me was the room that contained
the cartridge bags, and not to gain an
entrance into it would render all the risk
we had hitherto run unless, as all further
attempts we might make would prove
unavailing.
AT this crisis of our proceedings we
discovered, within few feet Of us. a
small window, which, on gently opening,
we found led out upon the roof of the
piazza that ran along all sides of the
house. To step out upon the roof, clos
ing the window after us as gently as we
had opened il, was the work of few
seconds. Here we lay down, at full
length, for several minutes TO listen :
but no sound reached us, excepting an
indistinct clamor proceeding from the
room beneath, in which WAS assembled
the party OF rebeis. Ass'ilnquisnIng n,,.
recumbent pnsiutes, we crept
hands and knees until we reached the
next window, which belonged TO the
room we were so anxious TO explore. To
our great satisfaction, we found it not
only unfastened, but opened wide, and
one after the other, we passed through
into the interior. Again we paused in
motionless silence, and again we listened
intently, but nothing beyond the sounds
already mentioned met our ears, and we
proceeded to search in darkness for the
bags of ammunition. We came upon
them simultaneously in one corner Of the
room, piled into n heap. We commenced
our work at once by passing them out
two at time, through the window upon
the piazza roof. Silently and swiftly
was the task accomplished, until not q
bag remained. We searched every foo
of the floor, traversing its length and
breadth until we were thoroughly con.
vinced ourselves were the sole objects
animate or inanimate, it contained.
Passing out, our next movement wa:
to carry round the bags TO the extreme
end of the piazza. This involved the
necessity Of traversing the full length ot
one side of the building. With much
labor and anxiety, as We had TO proceed
more warily than ever, at each step, we
at last accomplished it. And now We
held consultation. whether il were bet.
ter TO risk the attempt of carrying off oul
prize by degrees TO the spot where we
had concealed the wagon, or destroy il
at once by lowering bag after bag into q
deep well. Il informed me was di
rectly beneath US, as we leaned over th,
balcony Of the piazza We concluded
the latter plan was the best, and accord
lhgly. my companion uneoiling the rop,
lie still carried round his neck and fast
ening one end OF il TO tho balcony, rap
idly descended, after telling me 10 hau
up the other end again. attach TO il tn
bags three or four AT time and lowe
them to him when he would drop then
singly iuto the we'll
DEADLY STRUGGLE.
We had nearly finished this part q
our task. when, rendered reckless by III
apparent security with which il was con
tinued-the splashing Of each bag int
the we'll exciting no suspicion on the pal
Of our dangerous neighbors at the othe
extremity of the dwelling-H--ilun
down into the depths the last nine. thre
at once, instead of dropping them singly
as he had hitherto done. AT this m,
ment, the close proximity Of approachin
footsteps along the roof made me turn
IL Il al. -