Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1888-12-20

mako null OF it. tell you, Winthrop,
we've got to come through all right"
TO have seen that cavalcade file out Of
camp that night, you would have thought
the men were bent on some big picnic,
such high spirits they were in. During the
dark hours they rode steadily on, and so ON
all the next day, with brief delays for re-
freshment for man and beast. The second
night they rested, but the dawn saw them
again on the march. It was too dark to mako
out objects distinctly, and as they APP
preached q sisn-post on the road side, Harry
ordered one Of his troopers, an Irishman, to
dismount and climb. it that he might read
the direction it gave.
We'll, what does il saya'' he demanded,
impatiently.
''Sevcn moiles to Richmond, an divil q
word less, SCRIP was the prompt reply,
which brought a. faint cheer from the men.
They crept cautiously forward till the
city lay before them with it's beautiful
hills crowned with pleasant homes. Sud
denly they struck the pickets.
"Close up, men! Threes about! Charger
rang the word of command.
The horses no sooner felt the spur than
they bounded madly onward with an i'm
petus that broolked no checking The first
line of guards fell in broken disorder
Son, boys, ont" Lichfield cried, waving
his sword to his men.
| But the second line Of guards was
stronger, and resisted the attack with better
spirit. Five minutes of a hand-to-hand
| fight and the bugle sounded the recall.
| Meanwhile the burghers of Richmond were
hard at work helping their soldiers to
throw up earth-wOrlks, while the dust roll
| ing in big clouds hid them from view of the
| enemy.
| Oh, that Dalgreen would come? But the
precious hours passed by with no sign of
L H.
| KDpatrick'S little force there was no al
| tentative left but retreat. The gallant
| leader himself headed one last charge of
| skirmishers and then the rout began with
| the Confederates in force behind them.
| They fell back in confusion to the man
body, but now fresh disaster met them.
| Meadow bridge was burned. and advance
was next to impossible. Devin, who COM
| manded the regulars, threw out his Skin
| mishers, when Custer came up with his
cavalry.
| "Take those troops away, sir, and viii
| make the crossing"
| Without waiting for reply he rode head
| long down the hill, followed by his brave
Michigan horsemen.
The bugle sounded the recall. They heed
| ed it not; and afterwards excused their
disobedience by declaring they thought it
Clusters bugle, and it always meant "g go
aheadl"
The rear was commanded by Lichfield,
| over whose devoted men shells literally
| rained. General Devin sent to know if he
needed help and got back the spirited mes
sage: "No! We can hold the ground all day
against the whole rebel army!"
Later, when the Confederates fell back,
Lichfield and little group Of officers, in
Guiding Harry Winthrop, were reconnoi-
| tering, they came across a number of jovial
| fellows, recruiting their tired frames with
wine and food on the great stoop of plant
| er's house.
| "Well, boys, we cleared them out, after
| all!'' he said, cheerily, as he flung himself
| from the saddle.
| ''Guess mott" was the sharp reply, as he
| and the half dozen next him were seized,
| and to his dismay he found that he was sur
rounded by Confederates.
! AS for Harry, his good horse saved him.
With q bound he leaped the fence, and,
while score. of pistol bullets showered
round him, dashed into the wilderness.
| But he was lost. Night came on and
found him struggling through the dense
brush-wood of a seemingly endless wood,
| dragging his tired horse by the bride and
| vowing by all his saints that he would al
most rather take refuge with the enemy
than tramp the long night through.
The long wished for morning came at last
| "a bright, sparkling, sunshiny day, which
| brought the song Olr0S out In force. Harry
had thrown himself at the foot of a big
tree, and having relieved his horse of the
| saddle had allowed him to crop the youn G
grass, and was just going to mount again
when he heard the thud of horses hoofs
beating the turf at a short distance to the
west. Hastily tying his faithful charge to
a branch of the tree, he stealthily moved
| forward on foot towards the spot from
whence the noise came He had not gone
| fifty PAGES when he struck o track-it could
| not be called q road, for it was mere path
way which cattle had evidently made-and,
| hiding behind a bush, he awaited the ap-
proach of the rider, who was every mo-
| ment coming nearer. You may be sure he
| did not forget to look to his pistols. His
| one great fear was that his own horse hear
! ing the other would neigh and thus betray
| his concealment. With every nerve
strained he waited the coming enemy.
What! lady! Alone in such g place
| and at such an hour. He could hardly be-
lieve his senses. But there she was coming
cantering along with the gay abaEdon of a
practiced horsewoman mounted on a well
bred hack, whose springy step showed tina,
| he had not long left the stable.
| CHAPTER Will
| FACE TO FACE.
"Katew
"Harryr'
He stood in the rugged path looking en-
treatingly into her dark eyes, which for q
| moment AaSha6 hack a tender glance ri