Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1886-12-27

der Harry looked at it curiously. IL had a
long, heavy, six-sided barrel, with a large
bore, double triggers and a gayly striped hick-
DRY ramrod ia its thimbles. The stock. Of
hne, curly rock maple, was ornamental with
silver stars and creseents, and in the breech
We're cunning little receptacles for tow and
patches and other rifle necessaries. each closed
by polished silver cover that shut with a
snap. 1t was evidently the triumph of some
renowned Kentucky gunsmith's skill.
The mountaineer's foot was on the soil he
had trodden since childhood. and Harry
found it quite difficult TO keep pace with his
strong, quick stride. His step landed firm
and sure on the sloping surfaces, where Harry
slipped or shambled Clinging vines and
sharp briers were avoided without an appar-
ent effort, where every one grasped Harry or
tore his face and hands.
The instinct of the wolf or the panther
seemed tolead Fortner by the shortest courses
through the painless woods to where he came
unperceived close upon the flank of the mass
OF haraSsed fugitives. Then creeping behind
a convenient tree with the supple lightness Of
the leopard crouching for aspiring he scanned
with eager eyes the mounted officers within
range. Selecting his prey he muttered:
rant him, but he'll hev to do, this time. y
Inc weapon rang out sharply. The stricken
officer threw up hiss arm, his bride arm
clutched his saddle pommel as il resisting the
attempt OF death to unhorse him. Then the
muscles a.i relaxed, and he fell into the arms
OF those who had hurried to him.
Harry fired into the mass the next instant;
a Few random shots replied, and another inn
petus OF fear spurred the mob onward
FORMER and Harry sped away to an
other point of interception, where the same
scene was repeated, and then to another. and
then to third, FORMER muttering after each
shot his disappointment at not finding the one
whom he anxiousy sought.
When they hurried away the third time
they were compelled to make a wide circuit.
for the little valley suddenly broadened out
INTO considerable plain. Upon this the long
drawn out line of fugitives gathered in a COM
pact, turmoiling mass
That's Little Rockassel ford +" said Fort
ner, pointing with his left hand to the base of
the mountain that rose steeply above the
farther side of the connection. aThat's
Rockassel mountain runnin' up thar inter the
clouds. The Little Rockassei river runs
round hits foot. That's what's a-stoppin'
'em. They'll hev a turrible time gittin'
across hit. Hits monty hard crossin' at emmy
time, but hits awful now, fur the Rockassels
boomin'. The big rains he, sent her ND
kltln', an hits now breast deep thar in the
lord Wen git round whar we kin see hit
ALL
Another wide detour to keep themselves in
the concealment of the woods brought Fort
ner and Harry out upon AN ACTIVITY that
almost overhung the ford and those gathered
around If Tho ftxn T,,to
tiously through the cedars and laurel to the
very edge Of the cliff and looked down upon
their enemies. Theywere SO near that every
thing was plainly visible and the hum of con-
versation reached their ears They could
even hear the commands OF the officers vainJy
trying to restore order, She curses of the
teamsters upon their jaded animals, the ribald
songs of tip few whose canteens furnished
them with forgetfulness of defeat, and con-
tempt for the surrounding misery.
All the flooding showers which had been
falling upon hundreds of square miles of pre-
cipitous mountain sides were now gorging
through the crooked, narrow throat of the
Little RoclScastle. The torrent filled the
ragged banks TO the brim, and in its greedy
swirl undermined and tore from there logs,
great trees and even rocks.
This was the barrier that stayed the flight
of the fugitive throng, and it was this that
they strove to put between them and the pre-
sumed revengeful victors.
On the bank field and line officers laborei
to calm their men and restore organization.
It was i'll vain that they pointed out that
there had been no pursuit thus far and the
unlikelihood of there being one. When did
Panic yield to Reason9 In those demoralized
ears the thunder Of the cannon at Wildcat,
the crash of the bursting shells and the dead
ly whistle of bullets still rang louder than any
words officers could speak
The worst frightened crowded into the
stream in frenzy and struggled wildly with
the current that swept their feet off the Shiny
limestone of the bottom, with the logs and
trees dashing along like so many catapult
bolts, and with the horses and teams urged on
by men more fear stricken still On the steep
slope on the other side glimmered numbers Of
little fires where those who were lucky enough
to get across were warming and drying them
selves.
"Heavensp said Harry with an anticipatory
shudder, "if our men should come up, the first
cannon shot would make half these men drown
themselves in trying to get away"
eyes were fixed upon tall, imperious looking
man, whose collar bore the silver stars of a
colonel.
@He has found his man at last, said Harry,
noticing his companions attitude and picking
up his own gun in readiness for what might
come.
Fortner half-cocked his rifle, took from its
nipple the cap that had been there an hour
and flung it away. He picked the powder out
of the tube, replaced it with fresh from his
horn, selected another cap carefully, fitted it
on the nipple and let the hammer down with
the faintest snap to force it to its place.
His eyes had the look of the rattlesnake's
when it coils for a spring, and his breast
swelled out as if lie was sumlnoning all his
strength He stepped forward to a tree SO
lightly that there came no rustic from the
dead leaves he trod upon. Harry took his
place on the other side of the tree and cooked
his musl1et
So close were they to hundreds of Confed-
crates with arms in their hands that it seemed
simply an invitation to death to call their at
tention.
Fortner turned and waved Harry back as
he heard him approach, but Glen had appar-
emily exhausted all his capacity for fearing
in the march upon Wildcat, and he was now
calmly desperate.
The colonel rode out from the throng to-
ward the level spot at the base of the ledge
upon which the two were concealed. The
horse he bestrode was magnificent thorough
bred, whose fine action could not be concealed,
even by his great fatigue.
go and find Mars" said the colonel to an
orderly, "and tell him to build fire against
that rock there and make us some coffee
We will not be able to get across the ford he
fore midnight" The orderly rode off, and
the colonel dismounted and walked forward
with the cramped gait of a man who had been
long in the saddle
Still louder yells arose from the ford. A
powerful horse, ridden by an officer who was
trying to force his way across, had slipped on
the rivers CLASSY bed stones, in the midst of
q compact throng, ard carried many with
it down into the deep water below the cross
ing.
The colonels lip curled with contempt as he
continued his walk
sharp little click sounded from Fortners
rifle. He had set the hair trigger.
He stepped out clear of the tree, and gave
a peculiar whistle. The colonel started as he
heard the sound, looked up, saw who uttered
it, and instinctively reached his hand back to
the holster for a revolver.
Down would scarcely have been rufiied by
FORMERS light touch upon the trigger.
Fire famed from the rifles muzzle.
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