The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-04-13
CHAPTER XVII.
MEET WITH A HAPPY ADVENTURE.

i
historians to tell. For very soon after the
Tout was assured the plain below full Of men
screaming and running, and Col. John Digby's
dragons after them, chasing, cutting and
killing, wet muzzle was thrust into my
hand, and, turning, found Molly behind me,
with the groom to whom l had given her in
the morning. The rogue had counted or
crown for his readiness, and swore the mare
was ready for anything, he having mixed
half a pint Of strong ale with her mash, not
half an hour before.
So / determined to see the end Of if, and,
paying the fellow, climbed into the saddle
On the summit the Cornish captains were
now met and cordially embracing. IT'S very
Ead in these latter times to call back their
shouts and boyish laughter, 50 soon to be
uuenched on Lansdowne slopes or by Bristol
graf. Yet, o favored ones. to chase Vic
tory, to grasp her futtering skirt, and so,
with warm, painting cheeks, kissing her, to
fall. escaping evil daysl
How could they Taught For me the late
passionate struggle left me shaken with sobs,
and for the starting tears saw neither mOors
around, nor sun, nor twinkling sea. Brush
ing them away, I was aware Of Billy Pottery
striding at my stirrUD and munching at
biscuit he had found in the rebels camp.
We, the descent being gentle, broke into
run, in hopes TO catch up with Col. John Dig
by's dragons, that already were far across
the next vale The slope around US was piled
with dead and dying, whereof four out Of
every FIVE were rebels; and cruelty they
cursed US as we passed them by. Night was
coming on apace: and here already we were
IN deep shadow, but could see the yellow sun
on the hills beyond. We crossed a stream at
She foot, and were climbing again. Behind
rs the cheering vet continued, though fainter;
and fainter grew the cries and shouting in
front. Soon we turned into a lane over a
steep hedge, under the which two or three
stout rebels were covering As we came
tumbling almost atop of them they ran yell
ing, and We let them 20 in peace.
The lane gradually led Us to westward, out
of the main line Of the rout and past ham
Iet where every door was smut and all silent.
And at last q slice of the sea fronted us, be-
tween two steeply shelving hills On the
crest Of the road, before it plunged down to-
wards tie coast, was a wagon lying against
the hedge, with the horses gone; and beside
it. stretched across the road, an old woman.
Stopping, we found her dead with a sword
thrust through the left breast; and inside
che wagon young man lying, with his jaw
Sound up-dead also. And how this sad
spectacle happened here, 50 far from the bat
sle field. was more than we could guess.
! Twas moving away, when Billy, that was
kneeling in the road, CHANGED to cast his eyes
mp towards the sea, and, dropping the dead
woman's hand, scrambled on his feet and
stood locking, with puzzled face.
Following his gaze, l saw small sloop,
moving under shortened canvas, about two
miles from the land. She made pleasant
sight. with the last rays Of sunlight flaming
on her sails; but for BIly's perturbation
could not account, 50 turned an inquiring
glance to him.
''Suthin' i the wind out ycnCer,n was his
answer. whats a slOop doing on thatratch
so close in by the pointl b DANCED! but
there she goes again. as the little vessel
swung of a point or two farther from the
breeze that was breathing softly up channel.
Time to sup, lad, for the both Of Us" he broke
of. shortly.
Indeed, was faint with hunger by this
time. yet had no stomach to eat thus close to
the dead So, turning into a gate on our left
hand, we crossed two or three fields, and sat
down To sup OF Billy's biscuits, the mare
standing quietly beside US and cropping tbs
shortCTass.
The field where we now found ourselves
ran out along the top of a small promontory
and ended, without fence of any sort, at the
cliffs edge. As sat, looking southwark, I
could only observe the s!oop hy turning my
head, but Billy, who squattad over against
me, hardly took his eyes of heP, ard between
this and his meal was too busy to speak a
word. For me, had enough 10 do thinking
over the late fight; and being nesr worn ont,
had half & mind TO spend the night there on
the hard turf; for, though the sun was now
down and the landscape gray, yet the air was
exceeding warm; and albeit, as | have said,
there bresthed light breeze now and then,
twas hardly cool enough 10 dry the sweat OF
me. So I stretched myself out, and found it
very pleasant TO lie still; nor, when Billy
stood up aud sauntered of towards the far
end on the headl.ud, did l stir more than 10
turn ily head and lazily watch him.
He was gone half an hour al. the least, and
the sky 10y this time was so dark THAT | had
lost sight OF him, wnen, rising on nay elbow
to look around, / noted a curious red glow
al a point where the turf broke oT, not three
hundred YARDS behind me, and thin smoke
curling up IN It, "a it seemed, from the very
face of the cliff below In Il minute or 50
the smoke ceased almost, but the shine
against the SKY continued steady, though not
very strong. BILLY has Int ire " / guessed.
and was preparing to 80 and look, when /
spied q black form crawling towards me- and
presently saw twas Billy himself.
Coming close, he halted, pus a finger TO his
lip and bsckoped, then began 10 lead the
way back rs he had come.
Thought !. these are queer dlings,H but
left Molly 10 browse and Crepr after him on
hands and knees. lie turned his head once 10
make sure l WAS following, and then scrana-
bled on quicker. but softly, towards the point
where the red glow was shining
Once more he pulled up--as judged about
twelve racas distance from tie edge-apd.
after considering Tor a second. began 10 move
again, only now be worked a little % the
right. And soon saw Toe inteH19n If this.
for Just here the cliSs lip was cleft by Is
sure-very iike that in Scawfel which we
wers used . call the Lerj's Rake, only mar
rawer-that ran back into the field and
sbelvod cut C5sltiy al the top, 50 chat man
might easily scramble seme way down 1t,
though how fer I could not then tell And
twas from this iissure t.at the glow came.
Along the right hp Of this Billy led ma,
slirlng il by d couple 81 yards AND wrisgllslC
on MS UeITy nae a DE0uwurnl- -C-IwEE1-S
closer now ,sor twas hard 70 SEQ him against
the black ruv9, stopped beside him and
strove 70 quiet the violence OF my breathing.
Then. after q minutes pause, together We
pulled ourselves 10 the al e and peered over.
The descent Of the gully was broken, some
eight fsse below US, by a small ledge, sloping
ovtxards about SIX feet iss ! guess, and
screened by branches Of the Wild tarnarisz
At tho back, IN Gn angle af the solid rock,
was now set = pan piercel> with holes, and
full Of turning charcoal ana over ta-s man
in the rebels Uniform was STOPPING