Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1886-12-31

Harry threw his gun up, with the readiness
acquired in old hunting days, and fired at the
next of his foes, who also fell The other
Confetlerates, as they came up, gathered
around their fallen comrades
Harry ran back to where the stranger was
as rapidly as the clinging mud and the steep
hillside would permit him.
| @Pnrty far shot that" said the stranger,
setting down the heavy rifle he was carefully
rcloading and extending his hand cordially
as Harry came painting up. That's what |
call monty neat shooting-knock Yer man
| over at $50 yards, down hill, with that ole
smoothbore, and without no rest. The oldest
| han at the business couldn'tve done no bet
| ter
Harry was too much agitated TO heed the
| commitment to his Workmanship. He looked
| back anxiously and asked:
Are they coming on yetf'
"Skacely they hain't," said the stranger,
| with q very obvious sheer. @Skacely they
| hain't comm on no more They've he'd enuff,
| they hev. Two of their best men dropt inter
blue biazes on the first jump will take all the
aidge off Their appetite for larks 1 know
EN-"
They'll never let US 60 now" said Harry, re-
loading his gun with hands trembling from
the exertion and excitement.
He was yet too young a soldier to under
stand that his eIemys fright might be greater
than his own
"Nary time they won't, said The stranger
deriSively. Them fellers are jest like Injuns
they're red hot till one or two gets knocked
over, an then they cool down monty student
Why, me an two others stopt the whole OF
Iollicotfer's army for two days by shootin
the officer in command of the advance guard
Jest ez tley war a comm up the hill this side
of Barboursville Factl They'd a been at
Wildcat last Friday eff we hednt skeered 'em
so. They stopt an hunted the whole country
round for bushwhackers afore they'd move
airy other step"
But who are you" asked Harry, looking
again at his companions butternut garb.
I'm called Long Jim Fortner, an I've the
name o bein the pizenest Union man in the
Rockassel mountains Thar's good s'tifikit
o my p'litical principles pointing with his
thumb to where lay the men who had fallen
under their bullets. Harry looked again in
that direction. Part of the squad were look
ing apprehensively toward him, as if they
feared volley from bushwhackers concealed
near him, and others were taking from the
bodies of the dead the weapons, belts and
other articles which it was not best to leave
for the pursuers, and still others were point
ing to the rapidly growing distance between
them and the main body, apparently adjur-
ing haste in following.
The great mental and bodily strain Harry
had undergone since he had first heard the
sound of cannon in the morning at the foot of
Wildcat should have made him desperately
weary. But the sight of the man falling be-
fore his gun had fermented in his blood a
fierce intoxication, as unknown, as unsus-
pected before as the passion of love had been
before its first keen transports thrilled his
heart Like that ecstaey, this fever now con-
sumed him. All fear of harm to himself van
ished in its fame He had actually slain one
enemy. Why not another. He raised his
musket. The mountaineer laid his hand upon
it
No" be said, that's not the game to hunt.
They'll do when thar's nothin' better to be
he'd, but now powder an lead kin be used to
more advantage. Besides they're outen
range o your smooth bore now. Come.
As Fortrer threw his rifle across his shout
der Harry looked at it curiously. 1t had a
long, heavy, six-sided barrel, with large
bore, double triggers and gayly striped hick-
DRY ramrod in its thimbles. The stock, of
fine, curly rock maple. was ornamented with
silver stars and crescents, and in the breech
were cunning little receptacles for tow and
patches and other rife necessaries. each closed
ny a r1liSba1 ciIt-o5- hot -b,,t
snap. 1t was evidently the triumph of some
renowned Kentucky gunsmith's skill.
The mountaineer's foot was on the soil be
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
slipsed 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 to lead 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 leonard crouching for spring, he scanned
with eager eyes the mounted officers within
range. Selecting his prey he muttered:
Iain't him. but he'll hev to do, this time. =
The weapon rang out sharply The stricken
officer threw up hiss arm, his bride arm
elutched his saddle pommel as if resisting the
attempt of death to unhorse him Then the
muscles all relaxed, and he fell into the arms
of those who had hurried to him.
Harry fired into the mass the next instant;
fnW random ChOtS cd
petus of fear spurred the mob onward.
Fortner and Harry sped away to an
other point of interrogation, where the same
scene was repeated, and then to another, and
then to third, Fortner muttering after each
shot his disappointment at not finding the one
whom be anxictisy sought.
When they hurried away the third time
they were compelled to make 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
neT, pointing with his left hand to the base of
the mountain that rose steeply above the
farther side of the commotion. "That's
Rockassei mountain runnin' up thar inter the
clouds. The Little ROckassel river runs
round hits foot. That's what's a-stoppin'
'em. They'll hev a t,Irrible time gittiu'
across hit. Hits monty hard crossin' at emmy
time, but hits awful now, fur the RockasseTs
boomn' The big rains hev sent her lid
kitin', an hits now breast deep thar in the
ford. Wen git round whar we kin see hit
all"
Another wide detour to keep themselves in
the conccalment of the woods brought Fort
ner and Harry out upon an activity that
almost overriding the ford and those gathered
around it, The two Unionists crawled eau
tlOusly through the cedars and laurel to the
very edge of the cliff and looked down upon
their enemies. They were 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 vainIy |
trying to restore order, the curses of the |
teamsters upon their jaded animals, the ribald |
songs of the few whose canteens furnished |
them with forgetfulness of defeat, and con |
tempt for the surrounding misery
All the flooding showers which had been