Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1886-05-24
Line of MEMS YOUTHS passed Yours
for style and quality KAHN q CO.

going in the direction from which came
and was soon out of hearing. In few
minutes l returned to the house. No
reference was made by either OF the
women or myself to the firing of the gun
and I did not tell them of the
solitary horseman.
l believed the firing OF the gun to be
signal of some kind and perhaps had
reference to me; and that single horse
man, where WIS he gliding through the
dark to? The fire died down and q
solemn gloom settled around me. ] was
shown one of the two beds in the room
and was told could retire when J. de-
sired. thanked them and went to bed,
and soon after The women also retired.
My mind was full of dark forbedings. /
could not sleep. The scenes of the day
would not down at my bidding
Each fact was considered sep
rately and then linked to another. The
women were also restless. heard them
whispering several times in the night.
About four O'Clock the dogs set up q
furious barking. | heard one of the
women say: "The dogs never bark that
way unless they see guns"
In few moments heard loud rap.
ping on the door. One of the women
asked who was there. Then came the
answer mo matter who is here. Get
up and open the door," Tho woman
got up, lit candle, and opened the
door. The next thing heard was: SIS
there man stopping here?" She hesi-
tated moment and then said, eyes,
Peering out / saw two men enter, and
the woman pointed to the bed. Their
short cavairy carbines cleaned into my
face as they leaned over the bed, and
the murderous knives which hung in
their belts chilled my heart with fear
They stood for somemoments--it seemed
long time to me--looking first at me
and then at each other. One of them
raised his gun and l heard him cock II
and the next momen. I felt its cold
barrel against my face. For the time
being must have lost all muscular
power. l tried to move, to speak, to
scream. could not. Fear had para.
lyZed me. The other one now shook me
| and bade me get up. As opened my
eyes the gun was removed from my face
but was still pointed at me.
AS they saw me making an effort tc
| obey, they moved back, giving me 8
chance to do SO. j SO far recovered my
speech as to ask .'What do you want?'
Their answer was Dress YOURSELF
While doing SO / tried to think
| knew my life depended on what ]
should be able to say. Words were now
| precious jewels indeed. AS prisoners
fate often depends on what his advocate
| is able to say, 80 hung my fate on fitting
| words. Were they confederate or unior
soldiers? A mistake here would soor
end the matter. As soldiers from this
section we're in both armies, peculiar
pronunciation would be no guide. Thei,
clothing would give me no clue-uni
forms meant nothing here, Neither
personal looks nor language would give
me any evldenceby which to form any
conclusion.
Perhaps if 1 knew the direction
they came from it might
benefit me some. Would
the events of the day point to anything
That company of cavalry that cam,
dashing down the hill. The man me-
in the field. The report OF the gun, an6
the two men that seemed to be follow
ing me. The solitary horseman. Dii
they mean anything for me? Som.
such thoughts in wild and fcvered wa,
were flying through my mind us 1 wai
| dressing. During this time not wort
was spoken by any one. The men hae
go far relaxed their severe vigilanc,
over me as to seat themselves to til,
right of the fireplace and next to th,
| door. The woman who had opened th,
door was standing at the bed where th,
other woman was dressing. WheI
dressed stepped up toward the fire.
( place and stoppsd about in the sente
of the room. They both rose and one o
them Rald-"y7ho are you?
i What now follows do not defend
am not writing an essay on whether
is ever right 70 deceive. I am slmpl,
narrating facts. Right or wrong, m:
apswer saved my life.
il answered, II ar1 one of John Nor
gan's soldiers and then tried to rea,
their eyes.
4 "Why, are you here? We have folIowe
you over thirty miles,"
III was now qnite sure they were con
feaesate cole i;eesrss eesrss. and no doubt the tw
! men / had seen following mex
4 i said that John Morgan, our com
8 mander, was recently killed and his com
mand had been moved to Abingdon
land that there. amid the sorrow of th
people and tears OF the soldiers, we lla
l br1ried him T fold Them nf fha fnners