The Springdale news., 1889-06-28

Y-1z-@zz 7 fh{9tK2 f9 " HOLD YoU FOOLS; WHAT ARE YOU SHOOT ING AT IS FOR s' joined the cavalry officer he asked: ..Where is the guidet'
 "Was he not with you9n
 'sNo.n
 Il 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 notN'
 "Oh, of course we are; we are on the same main road which we came. There's been no road to lead us off. y
 But there's no knowing how soon we may strike a road that will lead us off,
 II supposed the guide was with you"
 "He IS not.i
 "An' nouns seen i'm said Arkansaw Tom
 "Ain't we n purity piekleln muttered the chronic grumbler.
 We 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.n
 "We'l 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 the fort to be. Luke was wondering why Blaellhawk had deserted them. Was It because he was a traitor after all, and had led them into the enemys country and deserted hlm. Black hawk had been q mystery ever since he had first set eyes upon him, when boy, years ago.
 Somehow he had always seemed to pos sess some wonderful power over him, and he used when but Il child to shadder when he saw him watching him from his great yellowsh buckeyes BlackhaWk was an enigma. Why did he disappear so sudden ly! Why did he fe-appear at such unex pected times and places! Why was it that he seemed to be everywhere, and at the same time, to know every thmg, every place and every bodys
 Slowly they groped their way, through darkness, mist, drizze 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 mlned to pass the night hero.
 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 earned 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 gh n n their dying comrade
 Luke Mason regards this a the most miserable night of hls army life. He was in an old hut, and worn out with fatigue and anxiety sat shiyering and dozing upon the ground. The roof Was full of holes, and the drizzle which finally assumed the form of q cold rain sent the water drip, drip, dripping through the rather loose boards Tn a hundred different places Although he again and again selected position where he hoped to be out of the leak, yet ere he had long been in h s new place the cold water cama drip, drIp, dropping down upon him, entering hls collar, and gliding down his b@ek
 But the long, dreary night came to all end, and with the coming of the morning the rain ceased thnsgh it was still cloudy, cold and clustering.
 "Now, Captain, where do you say we arei" asked Captain Lawrence.
 .'We must be about twelve miles from the fort"
 "Yes, and in the worst kind of rebel hot-bed''
 The commander of the expedition knew thls, and as soon as he could got his force in motion. They had gone about a mile in the direction of Fort Doneson when they entered a narrow lane. On hitl stood large two-story farmhouse, with at least 8 dozen doors and windows facing the road. It stood on the left, while on the right was a large barn.
 The anxious soldiers spurred their jadea horses onward, depending on tse advanced guard, which had already passed the house, to warn them of danger.
 The column was directly between the house and barn when suddenly shot from a cluster of bushes in the yard was heard. Instantly every door and window became q volcano from which there issued smoke. flame, fire and death Bullets and buck shot whzzed like hail about the troops.
 Men fell horses reared, plunged and be came unmanageable, and, while Luke was trying to rally his men, his own steed, pierced by dozen bullets, fell against the fence,
 In van 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.
 tro BE CONT. NUED1