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

oaths and rude jests proceeded and followe,
the lighting of fire on the hearth.
Alice, who had longed for a sight of tn
dreaded six, crept to spot near the berea,
where 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
| OF Ferguson's death, for several masks la,
on the table, along with throe orfour bottle
OF wine which they had taken from som,
patriots cellar. Tall, rough-looking fel
lows they were, armed with pistols carbine.
and sabres, the kind of men who never com
the smiles OF mercy or listen to the pleading
OF innocence. Just such fellows as they
were Alice had supposed them to be-, for
she had seen many Of the prisoners taken al
Kings Mountain, and she longed for the
presence of a band of patriots.
There were true men in South Carolina
at that time who would have given their
right arms for a chance to exterminate the
Avengers, and Alice knew where little
party of patriots lay, but, alas, they were
not very near.
'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 on 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. an
'How's the horses p asked one of the
Avengers, as the man flung the poultry on
the table. :sS
Standing like rocks, was the reply. Such
horses as they are don't need watching, and
besides, there isn't rebel within ten miles
of this place.
why, there's the widow Hartzell.'
L didn't think of her. was the reply
How bitterly old Hartzell hated us, but we
caught him at last
And presented him with breast-pin!
He Han
And the laugh went round the room.
Alice Beauchampe did not wait until the
laugh was ended while yet it filled the house
with devihsh 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 Of the night kissed the palid
cheek of the partisan's daughter. For
moment she tried to pierce the darkness be-
meath the window, but failing in her en-
deavors, she. crcpt over the sill, resolved to
60 fortune for swceesss-s 49, 94muco
to tfo ground was not great AID tue daring
girr alighted without injury.
Now she was free to make ber escape to
the friend she had lately left but immedi-
ate flight in that direction was not her in
tention.
Heaven aid me ! she murmured, as she
glideL around the old house and approached
the horses which the tories had left tether-
ed to small tree 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 terrorized the country, and
under 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 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 saddle. 1t was smart
blow that she administered, and the
horses started forward and disappeared in an
instant.
Thus in few moments, F.rguson's Aven.
gers had been deprived OF their horses
Flushed with triumph, Alice Beauchamre
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 before
she halted. There was a flash 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 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 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.
Come ! enough of this ! he suddenly
cried, rising from the table, which had been
dragged to the middle of the room 'Get
up, boys, and let's be going. 1 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 could we do if a
gang of rebels should catch us in this con
dition? You know the mercy we would get,