The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1889-08-21

know
Colonel Mason turned aside, his heart
very faint and a mist coming over his
eyes. He leaned for u moment against
tree for support, and when he next looked
at the negro he had picked up his gun and
was coolly walking away. f
Luke returned TO his command and with
what prisoners they had captured they re.
turned to their quarters near Shiloh
Church He deemed IL best to tell nothing
Of his adventure with Blackhawk and
Sneed, for 1t seemed to be one link in the
dark mystery Of his own life.
CHAPTER XIV.
SURPRISE.
The day on which Colonel Mason returned
10 camp was the last OF March. From that
time on TO the 9th Of April skirmishing along
the front was almost continuous On the
lst the rebel cavalry became bold and ap-
preached the Union lines, showing that an
advance Of some kind was contemplated.
On the 4th OF April his cavalry dashed
down and captured a small picket guard Of
six or seven men who were stationed some
Hve or six miles out on the Pittsburgh and
Cornth road. Colonel Buckland with q
regiment pursued the Confederates, and
General Sherman moved brigade three
miles out from the line. The Confederates
retrcated, OF course, and many were the
speculations as TO their conduct
Many held that the attacks and skir
mishes along the front were only intended
10 detract them from their march on Cor
inth. But whatever may have been the
opinions OF the subordinate officers, II was
evident that General Grant believed
that their entire front was threat
ened, for he ordered his army TO entrench,
and did all In his power to hurry up Buell.
General Grant was not certain where the
attack would be made, at Shiloh or Crump's
Landing, where Lew Wallace with his di-
vision lay. On the 4th Of April the Gen
cral was injured by his horse falling upon
Lin and spraining his ankle, so that he had
10 go on crutches.
He was assured by his subordinates that
all was quiet on the front so far as the en-
emy were concerned. On the 5th, learning
that a adlvisiou Of Buells army, under Mel.
son, had arrived at Savannah, Grant ordered
them 10 move up the east bank Of the river,
so rs TO be ferried over at either Crump's
or Pittsburg Landing, as the occasion might
require.
Since his return from the reconnaissance
recorded In our last chapter, Colonel Mason
had been In his camp and had seen nothing
Of the enemy. He was changed man, and
spent most Of his spare time alone In his
tent gloomily brooding over the last dan
gerous interview with the negro, Black
hawk. Two sentences uttered by that dark
man Of mystery seemed TO ever ring In his
earsi
"KH me, pldssd, and de secret oh yo' bfrf
dies," haunted him day and night
"Who Ia he, and what does he know Of
met" the puzzled oficer asked himself.
"His words, 4 kin tell ye mo- bout
yourself dan ye knows, massar ring still
In my ears What Is it he knows-oh!
what is i'll" His last interrogatory was ut
tered with sigh from the uttermost depths
OF his troubled heart Ahl what u longing
possessed his soul. A longing TO know tho
history Of that helpless babe found floating
in its cradle down the turbulent Missouri
Picket firing and slurmishing at the front
became a common thing. When O soldier
was detailed for picket duty he went fully
expecting to be fred upon before he re-
turned.
"Jist let 'em bang erway," said Bill Snow.
as he lay In his tent, listening 10 the oc-
sional reports OF muskets in the distant
woods. "Ef they think I'm gwine ter git
skeered at N ow-el they're badly mis-
taken"
"Wall, Bill, 1t mayn't be N ow-el by er
long shot," said Arkansaw Tom, who was
reclining on q pile Of straw.
"Yer don't think old Johnston or Price ar
comm to tackle us, d. yei' asked Bill
'Mought be-" &.
"Let um come"
''Not afore Buell. gifts here"
"Whut d. we keeri Haint we ernuff ter
lick umr'
''Wall, we d hev our hands full, ye kin
bet, Bill. I'm ergoin' ter bet that we burn
powder aiore we've been here O week
longer"
''Been burnin' powder every day fur
week." said Ned, lazily shutting q deck OF
well-thumbed cards.
"Yes, n what does u all mount tol"
growled Max. "Nuthin'. FL u want fur
them mullet heads who command tn army
we'd been in Corinth long ago."
"Ye'n git ter Corinth soon ernuff, Max"
Ned Cotton answered.
"We'd as well q had this war over six
months ergo as ter be foolin' an dallyin'
erlong. Now, didn't we go right inter Fort
Donelsonp
"Yes, but old Sid Johnston warnt thar
We're not ergoin ter hev walk over Is we
did with Floyd N Piller. He'll do some o.
the walkin' himself"
The conversation was cut short at this
moment by the appearance OF the Colonel.
II am going TO the front, Tom, and want