The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1877-04-27

II
the lighting of fire on the hearth. Hd.'
Alice, who had louged for sight of tn
dreaded six,ccrept to a spot near the berea,
4 Whcrc there was crack in the floor. Thel
applying her eyes to the peep. hole, she saw
SIX Wild looking mon directly beneath her
They were, beyond doubt, the Avenger
or ferguson's death. for several masks la,
on the etable, along with three orIfour bottles
OF vine which they had taken from som,
4 patriots cellar. Tall, rough.looking fel
lows they were, armed with pistols, carbine.
and sabres, the kind Of men who never coun
the smiles Of mercy or listen to the PLEADING
OF Innocence. Just such, fellows as lbey
were Alice had supposed them to be- for
sbe had Seen many dfths prisoners taken al
Kings Mountain, and she longed for the
| presence of band of patriots.
| There were true men in South Carolina
at that time who would have given their
right arms for chance to exterminate the
| Avengers, and Alice knew where little
party of patriots lay, but, alas, they were
| not very near. 800
| 'We'll rest here and finish that wine
said one of the leaders of the band, whose
face told that he had already imbibed freely.
! Bring in the poultry and Oh old Beau.
champe's hearth, we'll prepare feast
At his command one of the men left the
house. but soon returned, bearing with him
duck and several chickens, from whose
freshly wrung necks the warm blood was
dripping "-J '7''n4S . d 81 -
'How's the horses p asked one of the
Avengers, as the man flung the poultry on
the table. sltF, li.:gt. 80 So .ss'
Standing like rocks, was the reply. Such
horses as they are don't need watching, and
besides, there isn't a rebel within ten miles
of this place. ,ao,ls ,,,.'., -
Why, there's the widow Hartzell.'
J., 4 didn't think Of her. was the renlv
'Ho. bitterly old Hartzell hated us, but we
caught him at last -.
And presented him with breast-pin! |!
He HaP
~ And the laugh went round the room.
> Alice Beagchampe did not wait until the
laugh was ended while yet it filled the house
with. ;devilish echoes, she glided across the
room to window that looked out upon the
dark palmetto grove.
There was no sash in the window, and
the cool winds ofthe night kissed the palid
check of the partisan's daughter. For a
moment she tried to pierce the darkness be-
meath the window, but failing in her en-.
deayoFs, she scrcpt over the sill, rseolvcd To-
= fbttunS. .Hsf Aucsell1 1uce:
10 EQnpd was net gf9jS sn0 sdariDg
81 aGghted without injury
Now she was free to make her escape to
the friend she bad lately left ;.sbut iumedi-
ate fight in Tint direction was not her in
tention. ,,- s,g ru ~ Z,
Heaven aid me she murmured, as She
glided around the old house and approached
the horses which the tories had left tether-
ed to small tree a few yards from the door
A glance in the room revealed the forms
of the Avengers discussing the wine and
watching the roasting of the fowls. They
did not fear danger, for, their horrible deeds
had completely tsrrorized the country, and
under tho 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 quietly led
them into small copse not far away. The
steeds did not refuse to obey her guidance,
and when she had reached the copse, she
struck them with a whip which she had
found beneath o saddle 1t was a smart
blow that she administered, and the
horses started forward and disappeared in an
instant. 4'' i'.
Thus in few moments, F,rguson's Avsn.
gers had been deprived of their horses
Flushed with triumph, Alice Bsauchampe
returned TO the house, and again looked in
upon its hilarious tenants. - - ,''
She now held a pistol in her hand-a
weapon which aholster had granted her, and
she crept to the edge'of the porch before
she halted. There was fash of ven.
geance in the dark eye of the partisan girl
while she gazed upon the party beyond the
threshold. Once or twice she raised the
weapon, but lowered it again, as if'paaying
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 upon the table, and watched
the greedy men crowd around for their share.
Their tongues and movements told her that
stolen liquor was doing its accustomed work
on all save the giant, who had superintend-
ed the cooking Of the late repast. This
man appeared perfectly sober, and the an.
cry glances which he often cast at his
comrades told that he did not sanction their
conduct. ss tsaa,a.,s i III g. sss' sf
s"Come !'euough OF athis pshe suddenly
cried, rising from the table, which had been
dragged to the middle Of the room !" Get
up. boys, and let's be, going. I told you at
Wiley's that you had wine enough, bot 700
must bring some here aud tdriuk yourselves
stupid. Tom Scott aud you Blakesof,, I ain
ashamed Of you'll What could We do If a
gang of rebels should catch us IN thiA CON.
ditiona You.know the MERCY ws would go
and yet you 81 thsress caSIess a statues