Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1862-02-06


ing remained in this posi- "a ior ssre,
al minutes, be again steszkily r<Srea'
ed in The manner be had Advanced; an
plunging into the forest. aSsin emerge
at 8 point considerably joEer tha
where he had intended s. leave Il bs
fore.
Col. Innes sat reading. alpues in 81
private apartment, when % orderly en
tered and informed him TIA o1s of th
men wished to speak to bin. sSzS.
"Send him in," said the colonel; an,
at the next minute our friend Resih
had entered, and made BIZ best tSu 4
the commanding officer. s
"Well, what scrape ~
getting into now?" SAID se cpioneI
when he saw who lis visitof was.
"Noue. colonel" replied DEATH s"bu
l have come to ask fav5s
"Let us hear it," SAD the colonel
"snd then we'll see whaiswe can do,
swell, colonel it is simply this-i
you will put the rifles pnder my or
ders tonight, and let ne occupy the
deserted post, l will notbnly clear uE
the mystery of the disappearance Of
the four sentries. but MALI abe post ten.
able for the future" 4
"But how?" said the Icolonel, in in.
tense surprise.
"I guess, colonel, snt~ered Death,
"you had better let me74ave the men,
and order US of, andI'n tell you
the whole affair after. promise you
that not one shall receivekyen a scratch,
that is il they will folloy ymy directions
implicitly"
you are a strange nan" said the
colonel, "but ] think J vi let you have
your own way this tiHe When do you
intend to start?"
"In about an hours fine, answered
the elated Death.
every well, willgire tbenecessary
orders, so that You e5f s&rt when you
think proper. And What is more, il
you perform all thatyeu have promised,
and don't cause ne 40 repent having
humored you, you shall have poor
Campbell's place.
Hector Campbell was brave but
very headstrong young Scotchman,
who had occupied The post OF lieuten-
ant at the fort. Ia, q sadden freak Of
daring he had ypfimlsefed 10 stand
sentry at the falst-spot from which
three sentinels bad already so mysteri.
ously disappeered, and be paid for his
rashness with bis life.
..Now, pss lads," said Death, as in
eboutSs hour after his conversation
With Celsnel Innes, be approached the
deserted post. at the had .cf dszsa
who had been tempopfily
placed under his orders, "I will tell you
what we are going to do. The long
and the short of the affair, is simply
this; its a gang Of them cussed thiev-
in Iroquois that have circumvented
and carried off our four men-shooting
them with their bodies.
"To-night as 1 was returning to the
fort, l suddenly thought heard the
sound of several voices, and creeping
on my hands and knees towards the
spot, got nigh enough to see and hear
about dozen Iroquois were there and
hen arranging their plans to surprise
The fort to-night-intending to steal in
upon it by the point which their cussed
leviltry had rendered so easy of access.
only stopped long enough to learn
his, when l hurried of to the colonel,
asked him to place you at my disposal;
and here we are. l did not say word
10 him about what had learnt. being
determined that if possible the rifles
should have all the honor Of extermin-
ating the vsrlets. And now / ask you,
are you willing and ready 10 follow my
orders."
Every mad cheerfully answered in
The affirmative; and with quickened
pulses, and sanguine hopes. the little
company again moved forward.
The post consisted Of long, narrow
space, bounded on each side by rocky,
bank; while its extreme end
was closed in by the dark and impene-
trable looking forest. The bank on
each side of the pass was thickly COW
cred with brush and underwood, and
among these Death now carefully con-
cealed his men; taking care to arrange
Them so that their fire would cross each
other, and bidding them not to FIRE un-
til he gave the signal; and after they
had fired, not to stop to reload, but
their rifles, to jump down and
finish the struggle in that manner.
With steady alscrity each man took
up the post assigned him; and in an
other minute, the spot presented the
same lone, still and solemn appearance
it had worn previous to their arrival.
The little company had begun to
grow very impatient. and Death, him
self, to fear that the Indians had either
rued of making the attempt, or else
had changed their plan Of attack, when
his quick eye detected the
form Of one of his crafty foes issue in a
crouching position from the deep shad-
ow which the lofty trees threw far up |
the pass.
"Three-six-nine-twelve - thir-
teen," counted Death, as one after an
other they emerged in single file from
he wood, and with quick cat-like
of movement, advanced up |
he pass; their rifles in trail. and their
faces and bodies rendered still more hid