The Irish standard., 1889-05-18

may strike road that Will lead US On.
II supposed the guide was with you"
HE is not"
can no'nQs sean 'im," said Arkansaw
"Ain't we II purity pickle9' muttered
the chronic grumbler.
s'We can't stay nere long," said Captain
Mason "The country is filed with rebels,
and they will soon collect force ten times
our number and be after us.''
Gwen be gobhled up sure" sighed Max.
stake 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 Blackhawk had
deserted them. Was it because he was q
traitor after all, and had led them into the
enemy's country and deserted hum. Black
hawk had been mystery ever since he
had first set eyes upon him, when a boy,
years ago.
Somehow he had always seemed to pos
sess some wonderful power over him; and
he used when but g child to shudder when
he saw hin. watching him from his great
yellcwish black-eyes. Blackhawk was an
enigma. Why did ne disappear so sudden
ly? Why did he re-appear at such nneX-
pected times and places? Why was it that
he seemed to be everywhere, and at the
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 q collection Of houses, which
might pass for the ;'Deserted Village"
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 to 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 shingles and the expiring groans Of
their dying comrade.
Luke Mason regards this as the most
miserable night OF his army life He was
in Al old hut, and worn out with fatigue
and anxiety sat shivering and doing upon
the ground. The roof was full Of holes, and
the tlrizzle which finally assumed the form
Of "a 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
ha hoped tc he 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
lis 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 aud
clustering.
''Now, Captain, where do you say we
area" asked Captain Lawrence.
eve mug. be about twelve miles from
the tort.'
eyes, ,snd in the worst kind Of a rebel
hotrbed."
The commander of the expedition knew
this. ard as soon as he could got his force
in motion. They had gone about q mile in
the direction of Fort Dcnelson when they
entered narrow lane. On hill stood a
large two-story farmhouse, with at least
dozen doors ard windows facing the road.
1t stood on the lefs, while on thu right was
q large barn.
Tho anxious soldiers spurred their faded
aorses onward, depending on tha advanced
guard, which hsd already passed the house,
to warn them Of danger.
The coluuln was directly between Che
house and barn when suddenly shot from
a cluster Of bushes in the yard was heard
Instantly every door and window became
. volcano from which there isDuod smoke,
flame, fra and death. Bullets and buck
shot whizzed 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 q dozen bullets, fell against the
fehce.
In vain Captain Mason tried to disengage
his feet from the stirrups, che horse rolled
over, and the young ofacer's head struck
some hard substance with such force as to
render him inseusible.
When he regained consciousness he
found himself surrounded by fierce guer-
eiuas, helpless prisoner.