The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1889-08-21
tCopwiohted, 1891
CHAPTER XIV.-oowrrxuEp.

CHAPTER XlV.-CONrTSuED.
Luke spurred his horse forward, and had
just come In sight OF garden fence, when
thero came q crash, and over and through
the rotten pickets plunged three horsemen
In gray uniforms. Colonel Mason was only
a few rods from them, and fired revolver
Us they disappeared into thicket.
Fire don't let them escape" he shouted,
squirting his horse IN the thicket after the
9eeing men. Twenty muskets belched forth
their deadly contents into the wood. The
bullets shattered the trees, cut of the
leaves in showers, but the three Confed-
crates still thundered ahead, evidently un-
harmed.
In his eagcrness 10 capture them, Colonel
Mason never stopped TO consider that he
was only one man on horseback, the remain
der OF his staff being in another place.
An occasional glimpse OF the fleeing gray
coats spurred him on, and he drove his
horse at the top OF his speed through the
woods Two or three times he fired his re.
volver, but owing TO intervening trees and
the speed at which they were travelling he
missed.
They were fully three-fourths OF mile
from the house when the sharp report Of a
rife broke on the air, and the foremost
horse and rider went down. A white pun
OF smoke from behind O tree marked the
place from whence the shot had been fred.
The horse pitched his rider over his head,
throwing him with such force against tree
Is 10 stun him.
Colonel Mason was astonished at the shot,
for he knew none OF his men were near
enough 10 have fired II, but he never for
moment slackened bis speed. As his horse
few through the woods, leaping logs and
whizzing past trees, he saw the fallen rebel
trying 10 rise, the blood streaming from a
cut in his forehead, caused by his fall against
the tree.
A large, powerful negro bounded from a
thicket with blood.curdling yell, and club
bing his rife ran upon the fallen man TO
dash out his brains Down came the gun as
curse Of vengeance escaped the black, but
at the instant II fell a horseman was along
side and sword was thurst forward ward
ing OF the blow
"Whatl would you kill wounded manp
cried Luke.
"God almighty, massa, don't stand in my
wayi" cried the negro, painting with rage.
"Foh twenty-five vas is been prayin' 10
de debil 10 give me chance 70 kill dat man,
an I'll KILL hate him II hate himp
In the momentary glances Colonel Mason
had been able 10 give the belligerents, he
discovered that the white man was Dick
Sneed and the negro Blackhawk. Never
had he seen such picture Of rage and fury
in his life as the negro presented. He was
more like some ravenous beast than q
human, his eyes almost started from their
sockets, he was foammg at the mouth and
he had gnashed his teeth until the froth
about bis lips had grown crimson.
Blackhawk, you shall not kill helpless
man," cried the Colonel, finging himself
from his horse before the furious negro.
"IwiIl, by I'll kill um II hab TO kill
you fust."
Luke had Tot considered what furious
madman he had 10 deal with until the negro
aimed blow at his head, which, II he had
not parried II with his sword, would have
Killed him on the spot With such force
was the blow given that. II shivered his
trusty blade. Luke was almost as furious
ss the negro, and hurling the broken hilt
into the blacks face, he closed in on him
nd,whipping out his revolver, struck Black