Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1889-07-25

of derisive laughter, and followed the
cowed bully down the road
| ''Ye've got grit N no mistake" Arkan-
saw Tom SAID when the others were gone.
81 swow, believe ye'd shed his blood f
| he'd a done it,
81 certainly would Luke answered, de-
scending from his perch.
In few moments stragglers began to
come along and the men were kept busy to
| prevent their stealing something or doing
| some damage.
The main column at last came in view
with Captain Smart at the head.
| "Yeve saved it so far, l sce,' he said.
| 81 have, Captain, but came very nearly
shooting one man to do it."
s'You did right. If We find any o. them
| prowlin', or at any devilment here, let 'em
have it. know old Jordan Neff, and he's
a good square man, and no n shall harm his
house. But yell find lots o. stragglers
| follerin' US. The meanest ar alters in tn
| r'ar. Better stay here till the last uns gone
by"
| AS Luke intended asking this permission,
he readily assented. The main column of
| about two hundred men, which Captain
| Smart called an army, moved on.
| The Captain was correct when he said !:
! 'sThe meanest ar alters in tn r'ar," as
Luke soon discovered. 1t took no little
| courage and determination to hold the
scoundrels in check. He was forced to
knock one down and prod another with his
bayoneJ before the stragglers of the rear
| guard could be induced to give up the idea
| of plundering the house.
By the time the last straggler had gone
| by, leaving the house unmolested, the main
| body of troops was some four or five miles
| away.
| Luke, with his guard, started to overtake
them. They logged leisurely along the
road, picking up a straggler here and there,
until their force numbered twelve or If
| teen.
The idea that they were in any danger
| from the rear never for moment entered
their heads until they were startled by the
clatter of horses feet in that direction.
whats that" some one cried.
"Hosses, by jiminy!" Tom answered.
At this moment black man. bare headed
and bare footed, as most of the field-hands
were, came running down the road toward
| them, crying:
"Run, massa-foh de Lawd sake, rum
| "Who is it, Blackhawl!" Luke asked.
"Rebs am comm like de debil, massa !;
| more'n thousand of UNI"
The earth trembled beneath the heavy
| thunder of hoofs, and Luke knew there
were not less than half a hundred horsemen
III tOelE rear. - panic SelZeu Tue men, anu
| half of them ran away into the woods on the
left.
This way-this way" said Luke, run
ming toward a corntield on their right.
Those who had not already run followed
him, and just as they began to climb over
the fence the cavalry came in sight.
Bangi bangt bang! went half u dozen
shots. With a scream young man named
George Massin released his hold on the top
rail and fell into fence corner, struggling
in the agonies of death.
"Dod burn ZEN for tarnel skunks;
they haint got it ali their way."
cried Arkansaw Tom, laying his rife
across the top rail and drawing a
bead on the foremost rebel. Luke, know
ing the deadly aim of the old scout Of
the Arkansas, averted his head. A sharp
whp-crack-hke report broke on the air, and
when he looked again a saddle was empty.
and horse flying at the speed of the wind
down the road. The shot checked the Con-
federates for q moment, and Luke's COM
panons emptied their guns at them, still
more confusing the cavalry, and wounding
q man and horse. Knowing that they could
not long withstand such a superior force,
Luke urged his men to fly across the field.
The corn was tall, and the overhanging
blades concealed them when q few rods
away. But they had not gone fourth of a
mile before the corn terminated at a cross
fence, beyond which was meadow, from
which the grass had been recently cut
They climbed the fence and ran at full
speed across the meadow toward a log
stable on the hill.
Forward, over the fence and cut them
down. they hear clear, ringing voice in
their rear shout. The sound of that voice
sent thrill through the frame of Luke
Mason. He recognized the speaker, who was
doubtless in command of their pursuers, as
personal friend, though political enemy.
Reaching the log stable, Luke hurried the
men inside and said:
Don't fire shot until you are compelled
to-" Throwing down his gun, he walked
down the hill unarmed to meet the Confed-
crate cavalry, who were just leaping their
horses over the cross fence.
"Whar We gwinel where We gwiner p cried
Arkansaw Tom.
ITO stop the rebels"
"Why, he's CRAZY; they'll riddle him with
bullets" groaned old Tom.
ssStay there, and all will be right"
With his arms peacefully folded, he
marched down to meet the advancing Con-
federates, who, completely astounded, had
refined in their horses to q walk. A few mo
ments later they were near enough to be