Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1879-07-10


questton ~, Will .taibay to dispose Of him
ourselves nnd shnte. the plunder, Ut take
him to UanalesS Ho might iocmo down
handsome. SUPPOSE tho FELLOW should be
an officer of importahoef" "He tagt3 SKi!, ,a g,.s
"Bah! You talk like fook DO yop
not see that he is too yoHng to- have gained
any ithpottahue. As for Caoales, .oarraio!
you will got nothing for your paius, from
"All this I heard distinctly, aud muol,
more which it is s5unneoessary to repeat
That my life was i doomed ,lwus beyond all
doubt; but 1 was not Disposed ito make %
vacancy 10 the corpswitl,out a struggle, and
especially after undergoing what 1 had in
escaping from the Iancers. jea 4it,,,.
81 felt tho blood ooursing through my
veins with renewed ,vigor as looked tho
situation square in tho, face. My brain
grew clearer qs the imminonoo Of the peril
l wes in grew more apparent. ,.
"Tbe dying embers Of the fire emitted
fitful CLEANS which fell across tho arms of
the scoundrels piled promisouously together
in the corner of the rancho. i'a7Ne
"At that moment, and as I wus casting
wistful glacos at a carbine, tho beetle
browed rascal who had lighted ne into the
garden, glided across the foo ,lippipg a
stout bar across the door. i -'S
"Now, boys, finish the ,b, aud then
share alike" were tho words heard.
"Every nerve in my body Jared; the
blood rushed back to my heart as the de-
osive moment arrived. Up to that time l
had not stirred or changed my position,
leading tho scoundrcls to count upon an
easy victory no doubt. The odds were
fearfully against me, aud ns the four turned
their wolfsh eyes 10 my direction, the olear,
ringing notes of buglo came rising aud
falling, filing tho air with its melody.
"a wild cry of joy burst involuntarily
from my lips, thrill of hopo pcrvodcd my
whole being, us listened. 1t came from
my own galaut lpds--a detachment sent
out, in oil probability, in search of their
missing officer.
"My four friends had paused, their hands
on their murdcrous knives, uncertain aud
undecided how to oct. They turned for an.
instant toward tho door, lowing mo to take
advantage of their stupidity.
"Whcn they again confronted me, was
10 possession of tho 60 7eted corner, with
riao to my shoulder, looking them grimly
in tho face, whilo my dog, his hair brist-
ling with rago, stood bravely beside me,
displaying his white fangs to the onra scd
gaze OF tho greasy four, ..s.
"kuife him, lads, before they arc atop
of us. Put him out of sight, or two'll all
swiug," but not one of thom stirred.
"That dark, death dealing rife barrel
had wonderful tranquilizipg effect.
courses on ye!'' shouted the leader,
fno mil NTH ~
knife in handH care you afraid of tho
YonkceI | lot him in here, and this knife
shall give him permission to leave"
Perhaps the villain cxpcotcd to shake my
nerves, and cause mo to throw away my
shot, but never felt firmcr, moro deter
mined in my life,
son ho came, hrandishing his knife,
closely followed by his adhercnts.
|, 81 covered his left breast with tho sight
Of tho weapon, and with tho report the
scoundrel fell hcadlong to tho floor. 81.
Charging through the smoke the remain
ing three rushed upon mo, but wcro met
by tho dog, who buried his teeth in the
flesh Of one of thom,
81 remember striking out with my
dubbed rife, parrying rapid thrust aud
cheering on the dog, when, by somo means
in tho meleo, horn or canister of powder
must have fallen amid the red hot cmbcrs
Of the fire.
"It exploded with tremendous violence
blowing off tho roof of tho house, rending
the walls asunder, and hurling mo to one
side half suffocatcd and nearly inscnsiblc.
"Whcn fully realized what was passing
about me, my own troops wcro removing
the debris of the rancho from my limbs, and
the Newfoundland was licking my face.
1T wes, US lsupposed, a party sent outin
search of my unfortunate self; and they
were returning from bootless search, when
tho report of q rifle, followed by an explo-
sion and the garo of flames attracted their
attention.
"Of course, my friend, wo mado short
work of the three miscrcants who We dragged
forth from the burning wrock They
howlcd vigorously for mercy, but that was
not to be thought Of in their case. A swing
from the nearest bough terminated their
career, aud l rode back to Vera Cruz with
my mind firmly mado up that during tho
remainder Of the campaign, nothing should
ever tempt me to wander alono among the
hills of Mexico in quest of game"
TAILEY SEVERAL, FOR TIE Toad
Many gardeners already appreciate the val
uablc services Of tho common toad. and
afford them protection from their insect
destroying propcnsitios, while as many
moro perhaps are ignorant of their useful