Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1880-03-25
CHAPTER V.


and felt he would not come. Yet, still she
paced the little walk, and softly she would
open the gate and peer anxiously out. Al
length, weary with hope deferred, she ran fol
a little distance down the road. Suddenly
her eye brightens and her form grows more
erect surely she heard voices. Then shade
of disappointment steals over her pretty face
it could not be Bowen-he would come alone
and she wanders on in thougbtless dreaminess
wondering what delays him. Ere she was
aware, the voices approach; turn OF the
road will bring the speakers into sight, and
for the first time, she feels that she has gone
too far. The road, straight now as an arrow,
and the bright moonlight, will surely discover
her. She hesitates but a moment, when plung-
ing into the bushes, which line either side of
the road, she hastily concealed herself
"Haw said one, "what is that? | surely
heard rustling !" They stopped and listen
ed, and Bessie feared the beating of her heart
would betray her.
"It was only squirrel" replied the other.
81 hear nothing" ..
"There it is, again." said his comrade, as a
cracking branch broke beneath her. Again
they listened.
''Pshaw !" replied the other, "you would be
frightened at your own shadow-it is only a
squirrel in the trees. I'll swear you expect to
see the Wing cavalry burst on you as they
did this morning. Come on, man, and don
be such coward" .... ..
MOP replied the first speaker, still listen
ing, "let US wait awhile and see whatll come
of it'll do no harm to watch"
"Watch away, then, I'm going for water !;
I'm most dead with thirst. That house ought
to be about here somewhere. Where in the
mischief has it gene to?"
Don't be in such confounded hurry,
Tom III 60 in minute-let's see ifanything
turns up. If Ferris thought we had let any
one slip past US to the Whig camp, he would
think nothing of stringing US both up."
whats got into Ferris, anyhow, lately !?
He was bully enough before, but he's a per-
feet bull dog now," replied his comrade.
Why he's got hold Of some cock and bull
story about the Wings rising in the upper
part of the State, beating CORVALLIS with one
hand and Ferguson with the other, and with
one foot in Charleston and the other in the
mountains, making clear sweep of the State.
He's such cursed braggart nobody believes
him, and his temper, never very sweet, is now
worse than the devils"
"Well, I hope to.night's work will put him
in a better humor. They say the Captain is
to pay him handsomely if they catch the
Wing trooper"
Eyes, to the tune of FIVE hundred, or more.
Ferris would sell his soul for gold. You know
be was bought out of the Whig ranks, and if
they catch him. it will 60 hard with him
traitor and spy both"
"The Captains mighty anxious about Da-
vie. If it was Marion, himself, he could not
run more risk Why, he's almost in the hor-
nets nest. I don't see the use of running
ones neck into halter for paltry Wing
major" -..------>~~--~
"You don't I reckon if you saw girl
with land and niggers and gold, more than
you could count, in the case, and nothing be-
tween you and her but 'paltry Whig major,
you would understand it."
"Phew That's the way the wind blows,
is it? No wonder he's anxious to trap him.
Well, I reckon he's got him, hard and fast,
tonight"
ayes, Ferris has worked like seven devils.
He's got some private spite to settle in the
matter, too. Ellick Bowen, the Majors Cap
tain, has got the better of Ferris two or three
times, in fight; and not only that, but he
blames Bowen for taking his girl from him,
and he hates him like thunder. Now, Ferris
knows that it will most kill Bowen for any
thing to happen to the Major; so as he can t
reach Bowen, he'll have his vengeance out of
whatever will hurt him worst"
"How did Ferris know that Davie would be
there to night ?"
"He didn't know it at all but after we got
whipped to-day, he re-crossed the river and
lodged after the Wings, thinking Bowen
would stop to see his sweetheart, who lives
about here somewhere, and heard him say he
would shoot him if the ball passed through
the girls heart But Bowen didn't stop, and
while Ferris was dodging for him, who should
ride past but Major Davie. Ferris says he
had his finger on the trigger to pull, but he
stopped thinking it would hurt Bowen worse
to find him hung-so he won an hour or two s
respite, and exchanged bullet for a halter. .
"Well, come on, let's 60. | don't care if
they hang him as Ugh as Haman. Where is
that house? I'm most famished for water"
And the parties moved on.
Bessie waited until after their footsteps had
died away. Then plunging into the woods,
she hastily ran, under their shades, and reach
ing the back.door of the cottage, found she
had outrun the Tory sentinels. 1t was the
work of moment to empty every drop of
water from the pail, while in breathless haste,
she detailed to her father the events we have
just narrated.
"Now, dear father" said she, "do not wait
to eynostulate-do not denv me-saddle a
horse quickly-leave him in the woods at the
back Of the house-make what delay you
can in going to the spring for water, and leave
the rest for me"
"Bessie, lassie, what would you do? You
could not go to the camp to night. Bide you
here, and III away"
"No! no father-better meet whole reg
iment of Wings unprotected, than Tory
trooper Do not ask me, father, it will not
do" Andrew looked at his fair young child
and felt it would not do.
LET me 90 with you then, daughter it'll
not do for a young thing like you to 60
alone" EHs
Don't you see, father, you must be here
to detain them. Quick Quick father; they
are coming. Don't let them know I'm here. u
"How can help it, child-they will soon
know woman body is about" and the ia
ther looked with pride around his humble
cottage.
"Tell them I am gone out-anything
but they must not see me" replied the maid
en-, in hurried excitement, as she felt the ne
cessity of each moment.
II cannot tell lie, Bessie" replied the
old man sadly