Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1889-06-13


| just be our luck'
Hold yer jaw, Max; dod burn ye fur o
grumbler,'' growled Arkansaw Tom.
Max was neither shirk nor coward
when it came to duty either in the field,
the camp or on the march, but his propensi-
| ty to grumble had become growing evil.
II hear 'em,n SAID Tom.
"Then we are on the right road
"Yes, but We've got good ways behind,
SOMEHOW"
"Spur up; we'll ride aster.n
Their horses were put to swifter gallop,
and in few minutes more they had
caught up with the cavalry. Hearing
horses feet in their rear the cavalry sup
posed it must be pursuers, and became
alarmed
Halt, halt, haltr' cried voice, and it
was accompanied by half dozen carbine
shots, one or two of which winged most I'M
comfortably near the head Of Captain Ma
son.
"Hold, hold, foolsr' he shouted. "what
are you shooting at US for. Don't you
know we are frendsg'
The firing at once ceased, and Captain
Lawrence, who had been riding pretty near
ly at the head of the column, wheeled about
and galloped back to the rear.
what means this; at whom are you
firing!' he cried.
cat we'uns, We blamed foolr' roared
Arkansaw Tom, whose indignation scorned
military etiquette. EFF we don't stop it, dod
blast eff don't turn loose on ye wi my ole
gun an make some o. We sick at the
stomach
"Have your men stop firing, Captain Law
renee" SAID Luke.
shot shall be fired. l hope no one has been
hit"
'sNo, thanks to their poor craftsmanship,
no harm has yet been done" When he had
joined the cavalry officer he asked: Where
is the guidel"
''Was he not with your
sNon
II haven't seen him since we made the at.
tack on the house."
Without a guidel Then how do you
know whether you are on the right course
or notg"
"oh, of course we are; we are on the
same main road which we came There's
hsen no road to lead US on.
"But there's no knowing how soon we
may strike road that will lead us off,"
81 supposed the guide was with YOU"
"He is not"
IAN nouns seen 'im," said Arkansaw
Tom.
Saint we m purity pickleF" muttered
the chronic grumbler.
1--WE can't stay here long, said Captain
Mason. "The country is filled with rebels,
aud they will soon collect force ten times
our number and be after u.s.
"We'll 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 q
very brief delay they again started in the
direction they supposed the fort to be-
Luke was wondering why Blackhawk had
deserted them. Was it because he was q
traitor after all, and had led them into the
enemys country and deserted him. Black
hawk had been 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 child TO shudder when
he saw him watching him from his great
yellowish black-eyes. Blackhawk was an
enigma. Why did he disappear 50 sudden
lyl Why did he re-appear at such unex-
pected times and placess Why was it that
same time, to know every thing, every
place and every body.
Slowly they CROPPED their way, through
darkness, mist, drizzle 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.n
After short council of war it was deter
mined TO pass the night here.
They had brought one of the wounded
men with them, and he was so weak by this
time that he was unable 10 ride further.
They carried 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
the gshingles and the expiring groans OF
their dying comrade.
Luke Mason regards this as the most
miserable night Of his army life. He was
in an old hut, and worn out with fatigue
and anxiety sat shivering and doing upon
the ground. The roof was full Of holes, and
the drizzle which finally assumed the form
of cold rain sent the water drip, drip,
dripping through the rather loose boards IN
a hundred different places Although he
again and again selected a position where
he hoped to be out of the leak, yet ere he
had long been in his new place the cold
water came drip, drip, dripping down upon
him, entering his collar, and gliding down
his back.
But the long, dreary night came TO an end,
and with the coming of the morning the rain
ceased, though it was still cloudy, cold and
clustering
"Now, Captain, where do you say we
arelv asked Captain Lawrence.
"We must be about twelve miles from
the fort"
eyes. and in the worst kind Of a rebel
hot-bed."
The commander OF the expedition knew
this, and as soon as he could got his force
in motion. They had gone about q mile in
the direction of Fort Donelson when they
entered narrow lane. On hill stood a
large two-story farmhouse, with at least
dozen doors and windows facing the road.
1t stood on the left, while on the right was
a large barn.
The anxious soldiers spurred their jaded
horses onward, depending on the 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