The Springdale news., 1889-05-31
CHAPTER VI.

Captain Mason knew that if hc refused to either make the half dozen Confedcrates prisoners or shoot them down in their tracks he would be censured. But with his warm, sympathetic heart appealing Tor the brother of the girl dcarer than life, ho determined to set military authority at de- tiancc.
 "You once had me in your power and spared me. 7 sad the young Captain, after an awkward silence of q few seconds "l would be more than . monster to refuse you your liberty"
 Thank you, Luke. don't ask this for myself
 The friends advanced and met half way between their forces. Leaning from his horse lie graspcd the hand of hls frcnd,Who was standing on the ground. Captain Mason said:
 "Albert, it will be all I can do to call those men of, as their blood IS up and they are desperate. 1 shall do my best, though '
 "Thank you, it is all you can Oo"
 .'ThIs will Dc the last time we can meet as friends on the field of carnage. Though l shall not raise my hand against you my self the conflict is too desperate for ono to screen the other"
 "I know it, Luke. God bless you, my Friend, farewell"
 "Ono moment before you go-whero is Lilhe.1 asked Luke At homo, l suppose"
 "Shc was not when we came by, and l wanted so much to sec her. If you meet her, tell her that for her sake her brothers life shall ever be safe But longer delay is dangerous, go-hy while you can." We can not travel with him" "Icave hlm, then NO, I would die before did that" "WhO is he!'
 "Captain Jasper Morgan"
 "The son of Colonel MorganI' | ''Ycs.n
 was it Colonel Morgan whom we fought3'
 Ut was.''
 "Farcwen"
 Again those friends, one standing in the ranks of one army and ono in another, l .asped hands, gazed for moment into each others faces and parted. "Havc they surrendered" one of the cavalry officers asked, as Luke came back to his mounted men.
 "No, it's only q detail to care for the wounded; let them go"
 And not make prisoners of themP < Yes. it is best l will be responsible If the order IS wrong To arms, right about"
 The cavalrymcn wheeled their horses
 about and, with the Captain at their head, went laundering from the wood, down the l hill to the valley below. Shots could be heard d mile or so down the valley, and I there being probability of the enemy cut | ting them off, he had them hasten with all l speed to the main force. l As Luke dismounted from his horse near where the fight had been hottest, he could l not but shudder. It was the first glimpse 1 of carnage he had ever had, The fence l over winch the conflict had been was badly i shattered with bullets and bucl-shot, and 1 in places was completely thrown down. | Lying on his back upon the lately moWn meadow was a middle aged man in his shirt 1 sleeves, looking like a farmer in peaceful 1 slumber. A bullet had pierced his heart, | and his features were not distorted or unnatural But a few rods away, at the brink of the horse-pond, lay a rcd headed | boy of about seventeen summers, shot in | the head.
 An old, white haired man had fallen on | his face with his gun under him. Three dead Confcderates lay piled against the fence. The Union dead, twelve in number, | lay scattered about in tho corn-fe,d and
 peach orchard beyond.
 ''Glad yer back" said tho Colonel, coming up to where Luke stood gaMng on the scene We can't wait here long. We're i having the dead and wounded gathered up and cared for, and we must be goln' or we'll have twenty thousand Johnny rebs all | around us.n
 | By the middle of the afternoon the little army was again on the road to Cairo. In | the hurry and confusion Captain Mason s l indulgence to his Confederate friend was not reported
 1 The soldiers, angercd at the resist ance they had met, became more op. | prcssve to the people whose country l they were passing through Houses were pillagcd and burned, and the man oi civilization became barbarian and rob ber They were greatly aggravated by the taunts of the Confederate women, who waved rebel flags in their faces and cheered "Jeff Davis and the Southern Confeder- | acyn At such times some forgot they were l gentlemen and gave insult for insult, usual. | ly leaving the smoking ruins of a once | happy home as terrible example of foolish l insolence.
 Hundreds of frightened and oppressed 1 Union men were constantly flocking to them | for protection, and next day after the fight 1 Colonel Smart had over q thousand unarmed men, who had to be fed. Having no pro- vision train foraging became an absolute necessity. Being in the enemy's country some Of these foraging expeditions were at l tended with great danger and many were