The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1876-05-25

we caught him at last"
"And presented him with breast-pin!
Ha! hap
And the laugh went round the room.
Alice Beauchampe did not wait till the
laugh was ended; while yet it filled the
house with its devilish echoes, she glided
across the room TO window that looked
out upon the dark palmetto grove, be-
hind the building.
There was no sash in the window, and
the cold wind of the night kissed the pal.
lid check of the partisan's daughter Fol
moment she tried to pierce the dark.
ness beneath the window; but, failing in
her endeavors, she crept over the sill, re-
solved to trust to fortune for success.
The distance to the ground was moi
great, and the daring girl alighted with
out injury.
Now she was free to make her escape tc
the friends she had lately left; but imme
diate flight in that direction was not he]
intention.
Heaven aid mem she murmured as
she glided along the old house and ap
preached the horses which the tories haC
left tetE cred to the small trees few yards
from the door.
A glance into the room revealed the
forms of the Avengers discussing the wine
with oaths and jest, or watching the roast
ing of the fowls. They did not feal
danger, for their horrible deeds had com
pletely terrorized the country, and under
the sway of their lawlessness it was be
coming desert.
Alice counted them before she touched
single rein; and then in brief period OF
time she loosened the horses and quietly
led them into small copse not far away
The steeds did not refuse to obey heI
guidance, and when she reached the
copse she struck them with a whip which
she found beneath a saddle. 1t was a
smart blow which she administered, and
the horses started forward and disap-
peared in an instant.
Thus in a few moments Ferguson
Avengers had been deprived of their
horses.
Flushed with triumph, Alice Beau
champe returned to the house, and again
looked in upon its hilarious tenants.
She now held pistol in her hand-a
weapon which a holster had granted her
and she crept to the edge of the porch
before she halted. There was flash OF
vengeance in the dark eyes of the partisan
girl while she gazed upon the party be-
yond the threshold. Once or twice she
raised the weapon, but lowered it again,
as If playing with the life of the leader OF
the six, whose burly form was revealed by
the light of the fire.
She saw the fowls smoking, and well
burned, placed on the table, and watched
the greedy men crowd around for their
shares. Their tongues and movements
told her that stolen liquor was doing its
accustomed work on all save the giant,
who had superintendent the cooking OF
the late repast. This man appeared per
tectly sober, and the angry glances which
he often cast at his comrades told that
he did not sanction their bacchanalian
conduct.
Come! enough of this" he suddenly
cried, rising from the table, which had
been dragged to the center of the room.
"Get up, boys, and let's be going. !
told you at Wiley's that you had wine
enough, but you must bring some here
and drink yourselves stupid. Tom Scott
and you, Blakeson, | am ashamed of you
What would we do if a gang of rebels
should catch us in this condition? You
know the mercy we would get, end yet
you sit there as careless as statues drunk
as old Bacchus himself"
Then an expression of contempt passed
over the mans face, and, STOPPING, he
cried:
Up! up! the rebels are comingr'
But his cry of alarm did not infuse
much life into the men at the table. One
or two heads were raised, but the drunk.
en- leer that made the faces hideous was
enough to provoke a smile, even from the
mad tory.
" Menu he sneered, contemptuously.
" Dogs! every one of you I've a mind to
ride down to the Paculet swamp and tell
the rebels hiding there that the men they
hate are in their power. l have thought
that | commanded men, not drunkardsr
and he struck the table with the butt OF
of his pistol, but could not rouse his stu.
pid followers.
The next moment, with an oath on his
lips, he strobe to the door, which he ierked
open and stepped upon the porch.
" Curse such dogs as lead !" he Kissed.
" suppose must lead the horses up and
tie each fool in the saddle"
He was stepping from the porch for the
purpose of attending to the horses, which
he supposed were still tethercd at the trees,
when form rose before him and he
started back with a gasp of terror.
Who in the mischief"
"Alice Beauchampel" was the inter-
ruption of the apparition. The daugh-
ter of the old man basely murdered at
your hands! Down on your miserable
knees, Godfrey Lang, and beg for the
mercy you have never granted others
Down, l sayr'
Perhaps the shadows of the window
sash did not permit him to see the pistol
that was clutched in the hand of the fear
less girl, else his rashness might hav
been curhed.
"kneel TO you? Neverr' he cried.
The weapon that he raised dropped be-
lore the flash that followed his last words,
and with groan of pain he staggered
back to drop dead among his drunken
Alice Beauchampe, amazed at her own
courage, stood silent amidst the smoke of
Ter own pistol. She saw the bacchantes
ry TO shake off their torpor at the sight
If their stricken leader, and one rose to
lis feet to fall as soon as he needed sup
BORT.
3" Now for the swamp" she cried, with
riumph, and the next minute rushed
ron the disgusting sight.
An hour passed away, and the drunken
ories began TIC recover; their chief, who
lad dropped to the floor, seemed to sober
hem with his cold face and staring eyes,
md when they had almost recovered their
scattered wits the foe they dreaded was
lpon them.
Alice Beauchampe's voice fired the
hearts of patriot band for vengeance.
On her way to the swamp she had en-
the partisans who had captured
some of the flying horses, and were follow
ng the trail.