The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1881-03-24
THE OUTPOST.

neighbors 10 the American colonies in
Northern Virginia and the North west
portion of New York State-thc French
by their encroachment on the frontier,
and the Indians by their numerous forays
and savage barbarity to all who we're un.
fortunate enough to fall into their hands.
To put stop to these aggressive pro-
ceedings, numerous bodies, both of the
regulars and colonial militia, were des-
patched 20 the several points essailed /;
among the rest Col. Henry Innis, with
company Of thirty men, was ordered to
occupy a small outpost, OF log fort, which
at the period, stood within few miles
from the North fork of the Allegheny
river.
Having arrived safely at their quarters
tbe little company set about righting up
the old post to make it as comfortable as
circumstances would permit; aud this
being done and order once more restored,
scntrcs were placed at all the advanced
points of the station, while the strictest
vigilance was both enjoincd and exer-
ciscd by day aud night
Among the Virginia riAemen who had
volunteered into the company. was tall
manly looking young fellow who from
fatal and uncrring skill rs n malksman
had received the somewhat inspiring non
de plume Of Death. But with Whatever
Justice his name had been applied to him
for his skill, his disposition certainly en-
titled him to no such terror spreading
cpithet. On the contrary, he was the
very life of the company.
His rich fund of mother wit, large
social propcnsities and constant good
nature rendered him general favorite
with the men; while the never failing
stock of game which his skill enabled
him to supply the mess table of the officers
with, no. only recommended him to
their good graccs, but caused many u
little shortening Of his 10 be winked at
and passed over in silence, which other
wise, perhaps, he might not have got over
so easy.
The company had not been stationed
ut the fort more than week, ere Death,
in one of his excursions for game, dis
covered n small farm house some three
miles from the fort, where lived certain
Miss Hester Stanhope, whose equal in
beauty and amiablc qualities he had nev.
cr seen before. And TO render himself
still more certain Of the fact, he called on
the following day under cover ofpretcnse
OF having left his powder fnsk.
Death was invited to come again by
farmer Sianhopc, who happened to be
from the same parish ms the father of our
hero; and VIC need scarcely say that the
invitation was eagerly and joyfully nc
coptcd, and as often M circumstances
would permit, complied with
The second week after this occurrence
took place, was marked with two events,
which. though singular, both affected
the welfare of widely different degrees
of Importance. The first was, Death had
either lost his skill as marksman or that
game had removed To safer or more
distant ucighborhood, for tho officers
larder had been found sndiy wanting in
the items OF wood cocks, black cocks,
parlmigan, &c, for the week past-aud
the sfcond and most important of the two
events, was, that in regular succession,
four seniinels had disappeared from tho
extreme LEFT line, without leaving the
slightest trace to elucidatc the mystery
of their disappearance.
The circumstance struck such dread
into.the breast of the company, that no ono
could be found willing to volunteer to take
The poat--well knowing it would be only
like signing their own death warrant to
do SO; and Col. Innis, not wishing to
wilfully sacrifice the lives of his men by
compelling them to go, enjoined double
caution ON the remainder of the sentinels.
and lett the pnst unoccupied for night
or two.
Two or three accommodating parties
had been dispatched Off around theneigh.
borhood in the hope uf finding some clue
TO the mystery, or Of finding some intel.
ligence of the enemy, but each Of them
{ returned as wise MS they started, with no
reward for their trouble excep. weary
bones.
1t was on the third night of the deser-
ton OF the post that our hero, Death, was
returning to the fort, after paying Il visit
to Stanhope's farm. The moon wns
up, but her light wns nearly all ohscured
Dy the dense masses Of clouds which ut
every few minutes were driven BY II uret.
ty still breeze over her face, while the
nge trees, now all in full leaf, cracked
and groaned, and bent their tall forms to
and fro, rs the heavy gusts rushed whis-
Ting in among their branches.
Our hero had approached within
hundred yards of the termination of the
forest thpt skirted The small open space
ID which the fort stood, when he sudden
~ paused aud crouching down upon his
hands and knees crept cautiously forward
few PAGES. Having remained in this
position for several minutes, he stealthily
again returned in the manner he had
advanced, and plunged into the forest at
point considerably lower than where be
had intended to leave it before.
Col. Innis sat reading alone in his pri-
vate apartment, when an orderly entered
and informed him that one of'the men
wished to speak to him.
"Send him in" said tho colonel: and
ut the next moment our friend Death had
entered, and made his bow to the com.
manding officer.
"Well, what scrape have you bean get.
ting into now2' aaid the colonel when
lie SAW who his visitor. was.
None, Colonel" replied Death, "but
| have come to ask favor"
'Let us hear It," said the Colonel, "and
We will then see what we can do.''
"Well, Colonel, it is simply this, ifyou
will put the "riles" under my orders for
tc-night, and let me occupy the deserted
post, will not only clear up the mystery
OF the disappearance of the seniries, but
make the post tenable for the future.n
But how7" said the Colonel, in intense
surprise.
III guess, Colonel,n answered Death,
you had better let ne have tho men,
and order US of, and I'll tell you the
whole affair afterwards. promise that
not one shall receive eingle scratch.
that atis.iflhey follow my directions implic.
itly."
Yon are q strange man" said the Col.
onei, "but | think will let you have
your way this time. When do you in
tend to start ?n