Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1889-08-29

joined the cavalry officer he asked: ''Whero
is the guide?'
"Was he not with youa"
ssNo"
81 haven't seen him since we made the at
tack on the house."
''Without guide! Then how do you
know whether you are on the right course
or not!"
sob, Of course we are; we are on the
same main road which we came. There's
been no road to lead US Off"
s'But there's no knowing how soon we
may strike road that will lead us off,
81 supposed the guide was with you"
s'He is nOt.''
'An' nouns seen 'im," said Arkansaw
Tom.
"Ain't we N a purity pickle?" muttered
the chronic grumbler.
eve can't stay here long," said Captain
Mason. ''The country is filled with rebels,
and they will soon collect a force ten times
our number and be after us.''
Gwen be gobbled up sure" sighed Max.
"Take command, Captain Mason, and ]
will follow wherever you lead" said Cap
tain Lawrence.
Luke Mason rode to the front, and after a
very brief delay they again started in the
direction they supposed tho fort to be.
deserted them. Was it because he was a
traitor after all, and had led them into the
enemy's country and deserted him. Black.
hawk had been a mystery ever since he
had first set eyes upon him, when a boy,
years ago.
Somehow he had always seemed to pos
sess some wonderful power over him, and
he used when but a child to shudder when
he saw HIM watching him from his great
yellowish black-eyes. Blackhawk was an
enigma. Why did he disappear so sudden
lya Why did he re-appear at such unex-
pected times and placess Why was it that
he seemed to be everywhere, and at the
same time, to know every thing, every
place and every body?
Slowly they CROPPED their way, through
darkness, mist, drizzle and fog. Luke was
not long in realizing that return in that
darkness was impossible. They missed the
road, wandered out of their course, and
came upon a collection of houses, which
might pass for the deserted Village"
After short council of war it was deter
mined to pass the night here.
They had brought one of the wounded
men with them, and he was so weak by this
time that he was unable to ride further
They carried him into one of the deserted
houses and laid him on the floor, where he
died before morning. During the remainder
of the night the soldiers remained huddled
together in three of the deserted houses,
listening to the pattering Of the rain upon
the shingles and the expiring groans OF
their dying comrade.
Luke Mason regards this as the most
miserable night of his army life. He was
in an old hut, and worn out with fatigue
and anxiety sat shivering and doing upon
the ground. The roof was full Of holes, and
the drizzle which finally assumed the form
of a cold rain sent the water drip, drip,
dripping through the rather loose boards III
a hundred different places. Although he
again and again selected a position where
he hoped to be out of the leak, yet ere he
had long been in h S new place the cold
water came drip, drip, dripping down upon
him, entering his collar, and gliding down
his back.
But the long, dreary night came to an end,
and with the coming of the morning the rain
ceased, though it was still cloudy, cold and
clustering
''Now, Captain, where do you say we
area" asked Captain Lawrence.
1--WE must be about twelve miles from
the fort"
eyes, and in the worst kind of a rebel
hot-bed"
The commander of the expedition knew
this, and as soon as he could got his force
in motion. They had gone about a mile in
the direction Of Fort Donelson when they
entered a narrow lane. On a hill stood
large two-story farmhouse, with at least
a dozen doors and windows facing the road.
1t stood on the left, while on the right was
large barn.
The anxious soldiers sp1rred their jaded
horses onward, depending on the advanced
guard, which had already passed the house,
to warn them of danger.
The column was directly between the
house and barn when suddenly a shot from
a cluster of bushes in the yard was heard.
Instantly every door and window became
a volcano from which there issued smoke,
flame, fire and death Bullets and buck
shot whizzed like hail about the troops.
Men fell, horses reared, plunged and be-
came unmanageab!e, and, while Luke was
trying to rally his men, his own steed,
pierced by dozen bullets, fell against the
fence.
In vain Captain Mason tried to disengage
his feet from the stirrups. the horse rolled
over, and the young officers head struck
some hard substance with such force as to
render him lnsensible.
When he regained consciousness he
found himself surrounded by fierce guer-
rillas, a helpless prisoner.
lTo BE CONT: NUED.1