The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1886-04-08

| with such odds as he had in his favor, so he
prudently kept out of sight.
Capt. Grimsted dismounted, and, with his
heavy steel-sheathed saber clanking awkwardly
about his feet, strobe up to the piazza and asked
of Mrs. Sutton, whom Jasmin sent to meet him,
food for his men and forage for his horses
| Yes, sir, spose If you want it you'll have
to have it," answered the broad-chested dame,
who had not so much courage as a mouse, and
was dreadfully frightened at confronting so
many of the terrible Yankees. She directed
| him where to find the forage and set the
| kitchen servants at work preparing a meal for
| his men.
Grimsted had all t'e grain he took carefully
| measured in half bfshel, and estimated the
| weight of the hay. He made an elaborate cal
culation with n stubby pencil on the bottom Of
the half bUshel, aud then counted out some
crisp greenbacks which he rendered Mrs. Sutton.
| I've allowed you Cincinnati prices for your
grain and hay" he said, without any deduc-
| ton for freight or warehouse expenses, and %
cents apiece for the dinners for myself and men.
I hope that's satisfactory"
80 tho lady O the house said we were not to
charge you anything!" answered the large
wasted dame. l can't take your money
indeed can't"
but you must" said Grmsted firmly
"rm not the kind of man that takes other
peoples property for nothing. If you don't &C
cept the money 1 shall have to force you to-"
The lady yielded and took the notes. "They
re only going out heah little ways" she in
formed Jasmin and Gannaway. AZ heard 'em
say so while l was waitin' on 'em. They may
go as far as Churn Creek, but no farther, and
they'll come this way agin this afternoon for
they re goin' to meet another crowd of 'em
back here q couple O miles,"
Gannaway's resolution was almost instantly
taken. Slipping out of the house. 80 as not to at
tract Jasmins attention, he sent trusty mes
fha mi, pof oil Ixx,ttb
summons to the leader of the rebel home guards
to come mt once, by by-ways, with % good men,
to heaviywooded ravine near the house.
There he would lie in wait for the return of the
scouting party, dash upon it unexpectedly, and
vindicate his wounded self.este by hand
hand fight with Grimsted, whom he would
saber Immediately under Jasmin's eyes. He
did not want to have the Ohio Captain shot
down,-that would not satisfy the demands of
his pride; he must saber him with his own
hand. He silenced any twinges CT conscience
in regard to his parole by pleading that this
was personal matter, and satisfaction ex-
acted for private wrongs.
There was heavy cavalry saber and a pair
of holster pistols in the house, which he Sc
cured without Jasmin's noticing him, and
mounting a spirited horse he repaired to the
rendezvous. Before the afternoon was half
over the whole of the % men sent for had gath
cred in the ravine, ready for service. An hour
no sign of the returning soldiers. Another
hour passed, and there came fears that the
squad had gone back by another road but
Just as the sun was going down in the West it
came In sight, stringing along the pike, with
out the tired men and horses making any pre-
tense of marching in order. In all the fences
that interviewed between the pike and where
Gannaway's men lay in ambush large gaps had
been made by field hands working under Gan
nsway's orders Grinsted, riding at the head
OF his squad, had come nearly opposite the
house, when Gannaway gave his men orders to
charge. They came out of their covert with
wild yell, he in the lead. Before they could
get across the fields the Union men had closed
up somewhat, and opened fire with their car
bines On came Gannaway with drawn saber |
riding straight for Grimsted, who was more |
intent upon how his men were faring than
upon his own personal safety. The spirited |
thoroughbred which Gannaway rode dashed |
against the Buckeyes clumsier horse, and |
knocked him back Oh his Ranches. Grimsted |
saved himself from being endorsed By catching |
tho name with his left-hand, while he at
tempted to shoot Gannaway with pistol i'll his |
right. The shot went wild, just as Gannaway's |
saber fell on the Ohioan's head. 1t should |
have cleft his brain, but the blow was not de- |
llvered truly, and the heavy felt hat turned the |
edge of the sword until the main force of the |
blow was spent on the shoulder with little dam |
age. Gannaway had thrown so much weight |
into the blow that he almost fell from the |
saddle, and before he could strike again |
both horses gathered themselves and pulled |
apart little. He swung, raised his saber |
high in the air for another head blow, and |
spurred his horse straight for Grimsted. |
The latter also spurred his horse forward |
at tue same instant, but instead of allow |
ing them to meet as before he refined his
animal sharply to the leftand passed Gannaway |
at a gallop, but just out of reach of his saber,
and fired an Intellectual shot as they dashed by. |
They were at least 100 yards apart before they
could check and turn their steeds to come back |
at one another. The horsemanship of the |
Ohioan was not so graceful and snowy as that
of the Kentuckian, nor was the horse he rode
the equal Of the Blue Grass thoroughbred; but |
there was an iron strength and an unyielding
tenacity in both man and horse, that, cOmpen-
stated for any superior skill and quickness on