Whig and tribune. [volume] (Jackson, Tenn.) 1870-1877, 1876-01-29


them TO be, for she had seen many of tn
prisoners taken at Kings Mountain, anC
| she longed for the presence Of band o
patriots. There were true men in SCuti
| Carolina at that time who would have Civ
| en- their right arms for a chance to exter
inmate Llhl,s =, n,g sySngsrs end Alice knew
las! they were net very near.
! 'fWe1l rest here and finish that wine! =
/ said one Of the leaders of the band, whose
| face told that already he had imbibed free
! ly. Bring in the poultry, and on Ole
Beauchampe's hearth Wen prepare 9
! feast"
( At his command, one of the men Jeff
! the house, but soon returned, bearing
| with him a duck and several chickens,
! from whose freshly wrunS ReGks the
warm blood was dripping.
CLOVIS the horses" asked one of the
! Avengers, rs he iung the poultry on the
! table.
Standing like rocks" was the reply
"SuCh horses as they are dOnb need
| watching, and, beside, there ism rebel
within ten miles Of this accursed place.
'Why, there's the widow Hartzel."
81 didn't think of her." was the reply.
Glow bitterly old Hartzell hated us, but
we caught him at last"
"ARd presented him with breast-pin
Nal ha!''
And the laugh went round the room.
Alice Beauchamps did not wait till the
laugh was ended; while yet il filed the
house with It's deYlisk echoes, she glided
across the room to window that looked
, out upon the dark palmetto grove, be-
hind the building.
There was no sash il the window, and
the cool winds OF the night kissed the pal
lid cheek Of the partisan's daughter. For
4 moment she tried to pierce the darkness
I beneath the window; but, falling in her
endeavOrs, she crept over the sill, resolV-
ed to trust to fortune for success.
Tho distance to the ground was not
great, and the daring girl Hlishted with
out injury.
Now she was free 10 make her escape
TO the friends she had lately left; but i'm
mediate flight in that direction was not
her intention.
"Heaven aid me-" she murmured, as
she glided around the old house and ap-
preached the horses which the tories had
left tethered to the small trees few
yards from the door.
A glance into the room revealed the
forms Of the Avengers discussing the
wine with oath and Jest, or watching the
roasting Of the fowls. They did not fear
danger, for their horrible deeds had COM
plstely terrOrized the country, and un-
der the sway of their lawlessnesS it was
fast becoming desert.
Alice counted them before she touched
a single rein; and then in brief period
of time she lOOsened the horses and qui-
etlY led them into a small COpSs not far
away. The steSds did not refuse to obey
her guidanceship, and when she had
reached the CODse, she struck them with
\ whip which she had found beneath a
saddle. IL Was smart DIUn tssat slt, '.,l
ministered, and the horses started for
ward and disappeared in An instant.
Thus in 4 few moments FergusOn's A
vengers had been deprived OF their hor-
seS.
Flushed with triumph, Alice Beau
champc returned to the house, and again
looked in upon its hilarious tenants.
She now held a pistol in her hand-a
weapon which holster had granted her,
and she crept to the edge of the porch be-
fore she halted. There was the flash Of
vengeance in the dark eyes of the parti-
san girl while she gaZed upon the party
beyond the threshold. Once or twice she
raised this weapon, but lowered il again,
as if playing with the life of the leader of
the six, whose burly form was revealed
by the light Of the fre.
She saw the fowls, smoking and well
burned, placed on the table, and watch
cd the greedy men crowd around for
Cheir shares. Their tongues and move
ments told her that stolen liquor was do
ing its accustomed work on all, save the
giant, who had superintendent the cook
ting of the late repast. This man appear
ed perfectly sober, and the angry glaucCs
which he often cast at his comrades told
that he did net sanction their b2cchauali-
an conduct.
"Come enough of this!'' he sHddenIy
cried, rising from the table, which had
been dragged to the centre 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 nd drink
yourselves stupid. Tom Scott, and you
BlakesOn, I am ashamed of you, What
would be do if a gang of rebels should
catch us in this condition? You know
the mercy We would get, and 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 cOming!'
But his cry Of alarm did not infuse much
life into the men at the table. one or
two heads were raised, but the drunken
leer that made the faces hideOus was
enough to provoke smile, even from the
mad tory.
''lIen!'' he Encered, cOntemptuOusly.
"DOgs every one of you. I've mind to
ride down to the PacOlet swamp and tell
the rebels hiding there that the men they
hate are in their power. l have thought
that / commanded men, not drunkards -
and he struck the table with the butt of
his pistol, but could not rouse his stupid
followers.
The next moment, with an oath on his
lips, he strobe TO the door, which he jerk
ed open, and stepped upon the porch.
Curse such dogs as lead - he hissed.
81 suppose l 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 tethersd at
the trees, when form rose before him
and he started back, with gasp of ter
rOr.
''Who in the mischief"
"Alice Beauchamp!'' was the Interrupt
tiOn of the apparitiOn. 1.-The daughter
of the old man basely murdered by your
hands! Down on yORr miserable kn. es,
Godfrey Lang, and beg for the mercy you
have never granted others Down, l
say!''
Perhaps the shadows Of that 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 have
been curbed.
"Kneel to you? Never!'' he cried.
The weapon which he raised dropped
before the flash that followed his last
words, and with grOan of pain he stag
gered back to drop dead among his drunk
en- comrades.
Alice Beauchampe, amazed at her own
courage. stood silent amidst the smoke of
her own pistol. She saw the bacchantes
trv to shake of their topper at sight of
their stricken leader, and one rose to his
feet to fall US soon as he needed support.
scNow for the swamp!' she cried, with
triumph, and the next minute rushed
from the disgusting sight.
An hour passed away, and the drunken
tories began to recover; their chief, who
had dropped to the floor, seemed to sober
them with his cold face and staring eyes,
and when they had alnostrecovered their
scattered wits, the foe they dreaded was
upon them
Alice Beaucliampe's voice had fired the
| hearts Of patriot band for vengeance
| on her way to the swamp she had en-
countered the partisans who had eaptur-