The Springdale news., 1889-05-17
CHAPTER III.

CHAPTER I'll
 A RETROGRApE MOVEMENT
 For a moment the blood seemed to forsake Lrke's veins, and left him trembling with dread Awakened by shouts, the crack of firearms and all the appalling sounds of carnage, confuses the veteran, and the won der ls that 1t dld not produce panic among these raw recruits.
 Perhaps they were too much SIupeneu to become pauic-strickcn. They seemed to realize that thelr safety lay in getting be- hind the fence as soon as possible, as 1t afforded them partial protection,
 By tho time Luke reached the fence the Rrng ceased and the echoes of the shots died away. The raw recruit glanced down the fence row, which was dark with men crouching, kncelng and lying behind it. while their guns formed a serricd phalanx of black rnuzzles. The ii oon shone in peaceful spendOrupon the scene Illuminating 1t with floods of silver light. No one could be seen in the wood beyond, but it was from that point that the attack was threatened.
 When Luke found old ArkansaW Tom on one side of him, and Ned Cotton on the other, he regained his self-rossession. ! Where were the enemy! Not one was ill sight nor had shot been fired ia the last three minutes. Luke asked Arkansaw Tom where the rebels were, and was told | that they were not far away, and were ad- vancing on them, for they had already driven in the pickcts. But so peaceful and | quiet was the scene that Luke was about | half inclined to believe there was some mis take about 1t.
 ! The crickets, which had been awed 10 silence by those rude alarms, resumed their chlrrups, and tho WhlppoorWlll, on the dls- tant hill. renewed its song. pig came struggling down the path beyond the fence, gruuting and rOoung about among the leaves, wholly unconscious of danger. For several moments not word was heard, and naught save crichcts, night birds, the rustlng of leaves and grunting of the pig broke the silence. This Wating-thiS ex- pecting a bloody struggie-was more try ing on the nerves than If q death struggle was at hand Luke's mind was busy recall ing the past and trying to dip into the future. Would this night end all on earth below, and would thc mystery of his birth be revealed only in eternltys
 Some one whispered:
 "Thcy come.n
 The regular tramp of feet could be heard comlng over the distant ridge where the at tacl1ing party had evidently halted to dress their lines.
 'Stiddy, stiddy" said Captain Smart, in voice which was a little unsteady itself, but which had within it the ring of deter mlnati0n that gave courage to the men
 Luke strained his eyes to catch a glimpse of the foe. The nearer approach of the marching columns indicated that they would soon be in sight, and, despite all his determination, he found himself trembling
 The pig continued to root about among the leaves. at peace with all the world, and giving vent to it's satisfaction i'll expressive arunts.
 The enemy at last came in sight among the trees on the ridge, and despite the in- l functions of the officers the more nervous | of the recruits behind the fence row began blazing away at them Luke at first de- termined to obey the command of hls supcri- ors, and wait till the foe were near enough to make sure shot, but the enemy being recruits also, and as nervous as the men they were attacking; returned the fire, and when bullet struck rail so near him as to cover his faco with dust and rotten woo !, he could no longer restrain himself, and b,azcd away with the others.
 The pig gave Uttcrarce to squeal of alarm and ran hithcr and thither, met cy- anywhere with binding flashes and deafen- ing reports, until t at last raced down tho fence TOW at full speed.
 Tho enemy made no charge, butcontonted ! themselves to fire few shots at long range, and then gradually fell back.
 Whether any of them had been killed or wounded the Union recruits could not de- termine, though next morning a puddle of blood close 10 a tree was discovered. Bill Snow, the only man touched on the Union side, had slight flesh wound in his arm
 Captain Smart made no effort to pursue the enemy but contcuted himself to remain behind the fence with his forces for an hour or two after they had disappeared. The attacking force was evidently about equal to his own, and failing to make q complete surprise, or even take advantage of the partial surprise, they had deemed it best to retreat.
 Sleep was a stranger to the eyes of the new soldiers the remainder of that night. When morning came not sign of an enemy could be found. It was the general belief that the opposing force would renew the battle at daylight, but when it came they were many miles away, and only the bullet shattered oaks and fences remained to tell that a conflict had ragged there but q few hours before.
 The recruits, elated at their victory, seemed to have suddenly developed into veterans. In their enthusiasm they wanted to be led at once against Lexington, which Price was supposed to be investing with a force varously estimated at from twenty to one hundred thousand men.
 The recruits were again in turmoil for the lack of q leader. Two days were spent in trying to devise some general mode of l T,tir Gf .oj organization which seemed no stronger than q rope of sand, was half inclined to desert and seek the service of his country elsewhere.
 They were constantly threatening to break up and go off in different directions, each company to itself. Nothing but the knowledge that prowlng bands of Confed- crates swarmed everywhere held them to- gether at Sagget On the evening of the third day man mounted on jaded horse rode into camp with the startling intclli- gencc that Lexington had fallen on the 20th of September, the day before.
 All hope of reaching Lexington was abandoned, and without any leader the army was in deplorablt condition. Sur rounded by the enemy, cut off from friends and couvulsed with internal strife, their condition was somewhat pr2carious. 1 Some wanted to go to St. Louis, others to prmgficld, and another day was spent at Sagget arguing which course they should take, when a messenger came with orders from somewhere for them 10 move 10 Cairo. ! That, of course, settled their destination, but there were many minor details to be 1 consulted in regard 10 the march. Captain Smart still had nominal command of the 1 forces, but his authority was liable to be usurped at any time.
 By pressing into service such teams as ' could be found, they managed to organize a small baggage train and prepared for the march. Luke's voluntary suggestions to a \ great extent helped to pour oil on the troubled waters, and brought him into the favorable notice of his superiors.
 At last the march was begun, and to Luke's astouishmeut, as well as delight, he found that their course took them down the road which led past Mir. NefT's farm house The whole country was wild with alarm, T ,l,