The Alleghanian. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1859-1865, 1863-11-05

wind swept through broken pane or
glass and blew out the candle, leavinSzme
iu total darkness.
"Again 1 stepped to the window and
looked out. The horsemen had halted a
few yards from the house, and were dis
mounting. Presently l saw three Of
them advance to the stoop; and heard the
Gathering of their sabres and the noise Of
their heavy boots as they assembled the
steps. l could also hear somewof them
coming up from the cellar; so there was
now left to me but one way of retreat from
the apartment, the same by which the old
negress had made her exit. AS [ passed
through the doorway [ stumbled against
the bottom Of staircase. This | imme-
diately commenced to ascend as nOIselessly
and as swiftly as possible. Arriving at
the top, [ discovered a door which L
pushed open without ceremony, and found
myself in small apartment half lighted
by the rays cf a lamp which streamed into
it from another room connected with this
one by door which had been left open.
The murmur of voices, coming from the
other apartment, fell upon my ear. i
looked through the open doorway, and
beheld sight which surprised me
Seated upon sofa at one end of the room
were three figures. One was my chum
Bill -, with his arm around the waist
of the quadrooD, and her head upon his
shoulder while the other was a tall figure
in the uniform &c o rebel lieutenant of
cavalry.
"'So Magruder doesn't want the village
burnt yet 2" remarked Bill, as ne stroked
his whiskers. There's an excellent op-
portunity to do it, if he Goes, for the
pickets are very small around Hampton
at present
"I know that, captain answered the
lieutenant. 'but MagruGer will wait until
he sees how long the id Yankees are
going to stay. IF he sees a prospect of
their going into winter quarters here. you
may depend upon it he'll burn the town
al shall keep my eyes about me- said
Bill, 'and report matters as usual
"'But when are you going to rejoin us,
captain p inquired the rebel
.s'As soon as Magrnder sees fit,' an
swered Bill, though to tel the truth, I'm
about tired of playing the spy. 1t was
oeuced good idea Of his-ny going to New
York and enlisting in the Fifth Zouaves
Ha ha !! ha! Captain s., of the rebel
service, Red Devil
"At that moment Bill happened to
turn his head toward the dor Our eyes
met, and he sprang to his feet with an
exclamation. At the SANE moment the
lieutenant arose and drew lis sword
"'You have overheard Us ?" said Bill.
"fAy, traitor, every wo,d,' [ answer
ed.
"I might have foreseen this said Bill,
in tone of chagrin; '5ut that whisky of
yours he added, turning 10 the ieuten-
ant, made me careless
"'He shall not leave this house alive
exclaimed the iieutensnt, drawing a pistol
from his belt and poi,ting it at my head.
"But | had pickh up chair as he
drew forth the weapon, and now with the
quickBess Of Lightning [ hurled it in his
face The pistol was discharged, but the
contents whistled harmless,y over my
head. | darted from the room, rushed
down stairs, and nerving myself for a
desperate venture, dashed across the
apartment below, in the direction of the
cellar stairs. The room was filed with
rebel cavalrymen, but nay sudden appear
ance so astounded them that they made
no attempt 10 arrest my progress. BY the
time / had reached the cellar, however,
they had recovered from their surprise,
and as [ sped onward / heard the report
of two or three carbines behind me, fol-
lowed by the whiz of bullets as they flew
past my ears. The next moment [ had
passed through the archway into the open
air. and with two or three bounds reached
the skiff Unfortunately, by the ebbing
of the tide, it was now high and dry upon
the beach | seized The stern with both
hands, and by great effort of strength
succeeded in launching it. But the time
occupied in this maneuver enabled the
foremost of my pursucIs to gain upon me.
With his piece cubbed and elevated on
high to deal me powerful blow he came
on. But while he asyet few yards
distant, stopped and quickly uufastened
the rope of the skif FROM the stone te
which it was tied. Lifting the heavy
piece cf rock, suddenly rose upright and
hurled it with all my force at the head of
nv pursuer. Itstruck him on the temple,
and he dropped to the beach like a log.
The skiff was now drifting awiy from me,
but darted into the water, ard being an
excellent swimmer, soon succeeded in
reaching it. [ clambered into it, and
then looked toward the beach. The cav
alrymcn were drawn up in line with their
pieces pointed towards me.