Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1888-04-03

Ger killed mere, was Cnc DcSC IrlenU cSeI
had. We were boys together, went to
New York at the same time, and when
the war broke out took service in the
same regiment Of New York cavalry.
Blake had some reserves which l never
Acknowledgements the pity-they have tor.
mented me ever since. Our regiment be.
longed to the army of the Potomac. One
day when Gen. Mcclellan was in com
, mand, the enemy aggressive, times dan
gerous and orders had come for quick
march, Blake said to me:
"'John, I'll never come out of this wal
alive
/" Nonsense I laughed. you have
the same chance we all have
"sYou are mistaken he interrupted,
have not the same chance.
"'WhyY
"'Because an enemy is beside me, an
enemy bent on finishing me, pitiless,
determined enemy in my own regiment.
I'VE were sitting on our horses ready
to march, but came closer to him and
said: What do you mean, Blake:'
~ Il wish had told you long ago, John
there is 10 time now, but you shall know
some day
"'You are gloomy, that's all, one does
get downhearted without any particular
reason for it. You'll be in better spirits
after bit
my words were soothing and sympa-
thetic, my tone skeptical and indulgent,
but all the same, / saw that Blake was
neither downhearted as / SAID nor fanci-
full as thought.
az am not gloomy he rejoined, in the
aynn-ipnlaGc khI1f I knnyr
that, sitting in his saddle at this moment,
watching his chance to put bullet
through my heart
"'Don't give him the chance
"'He'll find it for himself went on
Blake, with quiet conviction. You shall
know it some day, John. There is no
time now, but you shall know and see for
yourself my deadly enemy
forward, ordered the colonel.
eve moved on, and the opportunity
was lost. am positive that Blake meant
to confide his secret to me. Naturally |
thought q great deal of what he had said,
and recalled many inexplicable trifles as
corroborative evidence. Our regiment
was sent here to watch these crossroads,
and was quartered in this church. must
admit that the building was comfortably
supplied with seats, which fell prey
later on to more predatory occupants.
Night came on. | made the round of
guard and outposts. The enemy was COM
paratively distant, nobody knew of any
raiding parties in the vicinity, the scouts
brought reports tending to an unexpected
degree of security. Still our vigilance
never relaxed.
about midnight I walked down the
aisle again. Every one seemed in a sound
sleep except Horton, whose eyes met
mine as | passed the pew serving him
as bedchamber. The night had become
raw and chilly. but l made no long halt
before the fire. In spite of the pleasant
report of scout and picket, vague, in
de1inable anxiety oppressed me. I left
the church ut once and went out yonder
On the crossroads, uncOnsciously straining
my ears to catch sound or sign of a willy
foe. Intense, breathless silence reigned
abroad. Not football, not the crackle Of
a twig, reused the faintest apprehension.
Suddenly through the stiffness came
the sharp, cutting rattle of swift shots, a
rush of heavy, reverberant hoofs, mingle
with cries and shouts.
INSTANTLY knew that the enemy was
driving in our pickets, and l knew, too,
that our pickets were only one mile away.
Rushing into the chapel 1 ran along the
aisles calling up the men. A vidette
dashed up to the door, yelling 'Mosby!
Mosbyr Wecould hear them laundering
down the road in mad charge. Conster-
nation and confusion demoraliZed the men.
A wild rush for horses, cowardly break
fo,- l,a 1,--Ch Il inl
than it takes TO tell it the church was
cleared. happened to be among the last
to leave, and was about to put my foot in
the stirrup when two pistol shots, one
after the other, at my very elbow COM
pleted the panic and sent our troopers
scudding down the road. In one swift
instantaneous glance / saw man falling
and another half bent over him, firing the
second shot. The fallen man was Blake,
with bullet through his brain, but the
dastardiy assassin vanished in the engulf-
ing stampede. | neither saw his face nor
recognized him in that one electrified
glimpse. Springing on my horse l gal
Hoped after my comrades. A moment
more and Mosby was down upon us. He
drove us four miles, fighting hotly, until
at the next crossroads the guerilla band
turned off and ambled away with a goodly
number of captured horses and some
prisoners.
Horton was among the wounded sen:
back TO Washington. He went west as
soon as he recovered
did you find Blake's body?" asked
Tom.
Eyes; we returned here the next day
and found him just where he had fallen,
with bullet through the brain and
another through the heart. His enemy
was, as Blake had said, 'pitiless, and his
moment had come when Mosby Numbered
down upon us, that night of Dec. 10,
1862"
And the criminal has never been dis
covered:'' Tom said, interrogatively, while
he glanced around the dismantled chapel.
Never did my best, but Blake and
his foe had kept their secret too safely,
and the times were troublous. Poor
Blake! he had said: You shall know it
some day, John, but that was Dec. 10,
1862, and this is Dec 10, 1870, and am
none the wiser"
Tom emptied his pipe and slowed it
away in his pocket "Ill so now. Hor-
ton is grooming out there at the door. FL
bring the wagon back at daylight for
him. Good night"
Tom buttoned his coat to the throat and
left the church. Presently Horton limped
painfully back 10 the fire, looking the
picture of distress and not inclined to talk.
Horizons gloomy moods were Of periodic
recurrence. No sufficient explanation shed
any hight upon their cause. Candor was
ingrained in Horizons ugly moods so
thoroughly that very few risked a second
inquiry as to what the matter might be.
We invariably passed it over with an
apologize Its his way"
Tonight his morose humor assumed q
certain hopeless misery altogether per.