Iuka reporter. (Iuka, Miss.) 1888-1894, 1888-10-25
ABDUCTED BY THE BUSH
WHACKERS.
A Story of the War in
the Southwest.
BY ARNDE O. BALDWIN.
IcoNTINuED.

The sentinel was not fifty feet away from
John. His gun was carefully raised and a
deadly aim taken. For an instant there was
death-like stiffness and then a quick,
sharp whistle pierced the night-air, and the
next instant the report of two guns almost
simultaneously rang out, and reverberated
among the hills.
Each sprang for his man, but it was un-
necessary, the bullets had done their work,
scream of terror was heard from within,
and then all was still.
John grasped huge stone, aud in q
twinkling the door was knocked from its
hinges. There was no time to lose now.
The camp was, no doubt already aroused.
and would soon be upon them.
John caught his half fainting sister and
carried her out to the horses sylvia and
jeff following after. The night air soon re-
vived the frightened girl, and as quickly as
possible the captive and the maid were
placed upon horses, and John and jeff
mounted theirs. Then the race for life and
liberty began.
They travelled directly up the valley down
which they had come. and into which they
had driven the bushwhackers horses.
When they had reached that point, they
found the animals quietly feeding. They
kept them IN front and continued on up the
valley.
John knew that il he could keep their
horses from them until they had good
start ahead, it would be impossible for their
enemies to overtake them.
1t luckily happened that the valley in
which they were was one of the large ones
and reached nearly to the divide They were
pleased to know that, for it was far easier
to travel, and without the danger Of going
astray there would be on the tops Of the
ridges with their many branches.
When the little party had reached to
nearly the divide they allowed the riderless
horses to drift out to either side, where they
left them.
They soon were again on the Wire Road,
but John took the precution to send jeff on
ahead to see that no wire-tlaps was stretched
across their way. The remainder of the
trip to the plantation was uneventful, and
they arrived at the mansion safe but tired.
The poor, tired Lille was Rugged and
caressed until the quiet of the little loo
prison would have been relief.
sylvia was also remembered. and the
faithful negress wept with Joy at the praise
and thankfulness bestowed upon her.
Henry Arno had recovered from his fall
sufficiently to sit up, and he claimed that
he was as well as ever. He felt disappointed
to think that others should be the ones to
rescue his lady love from the bushwhack-
ers, but he informed that young lady that
the greatest misery of his life was to know
that she was in captivity and he not able to
go to the rescue.
Henry's apology was accepted, although
as they told him, it was entirely unneces-
sary, and all retired to rest, feeling thank
full and happy, for they knew that it was
impossible for the river bushwhackers to
reach the plantation before morning.
Morning came and went, and soon the
day was past and gone. and not strange
person had made his appearance around
the plantation.
The inmates feared the night, but when
that also was passed in peaco they began to
experience relief. but they were not to be
lulled into a sense of security and then
taken unawares.
The day opened extremely hot and opres-
sive. Not a leaf was stirring on the branch
es, and the heated air could be seen rising
in wages from the parched earth. Although
the mansion was well situated to receive the
benefit of any cooling breeze, and the
trees surrounding it broke the direct rays
of the scorching sun, yet the people seemed
smothered aud oppressed
Not cloud was to be seen in the brazen-
looking sky. The birds were yoiceless and
gaping in the foliage, and the animals were
lolling in the barn yard
As night approached nnr friends hoped
for breeze to cool the heated air, but the
stiffness of death was over everything,
There was dark streak across the sky in
the northwest, and when the sun passed be-
hind the lower end of it an unearthly gloom
settled over the earth.
The stiffness was unbroken, not night
bird was heard. The ticking of the tall
clock was relief to our friends. for no one
felt like talking
AS darkness approached, low rumbling,
the continuous firing Of artillery.
was heard in the distance. Broken clouds
scudded across the heavens from the direc-
lion of the approaching storm.
The people were waiting with fear and
anxiety, knowing that its force must be ter
rible when il struck them.
A faint light began to gimmer about the
and rapidly grew lnrger until tho
|ightness Of the day was around, except
apQn the south side where the deep shadow
p ~ huge building reached out across
|he plsnteden.