Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1891-03-21

our heads Fulton added, with shrug
of the shoulders.
There wasmoreover the additional pro-
lection of a strong board-fence running
round 1t, which Frank eyed with salts
faction. The guards We're set, the men
flung themselves with arms beside them
on the floor, to snatch what little rest
they could, and silence settled on the
grim old edifice.
Nature in changing mood had swept
the clouds from the sky, and young
moon silvered the tiny stream that
meandered across the little plain that
separated them from the woods.
Three weary hours passed and no
signs OF the enemy. Then the sharp
crack of a muslSet from the outer-picket,
and the garrison was on the alert.
Like wolves rushing on sheep, the dar-
ing crowd of guerrillas dashed to the as
sault, knowing well that they had
nearly three men to every one of the
hated Yanks. 1t was n motley troop,
composed of irregulars, with some fifty
soldiers who had escaped from Morgan's
command, when they had been routed
after his raid in Northern Kentucky,
and who now had joined their fortunes
with these reckless Free-Lances.
A shower of bullets from the barri-
cade of the fence checked their first at
tack. They had never met the men Of
the Fighting Fourth before, and hardly
anticipated SO warm n welcome. So,
recovering from their surprise, they
formed in better order, and once more
essayed to scale the slight obstruction
which this time yielded to their fury,
and the Union men, with little loss,
were driven within the building. Here
Franks sharpshooters did noble work,
picking off the leaders of their assail-
ants with deadening accuracy of aim.
keep cool, men, and don't waste
your lead, the young Major cried.
LET every bullet have its billet"
''I can't make swell speeches like the
Major can," shouted Charlie, "but I
can tell you, boys, that if you don't kill
them-why, darn it, they'll kill you!"
A CLEAN of fire from the narrow win
dows answered the appeal
But the rear side of the building had
no windows, and save the cracks the
men had found in the boards, no loop
holes through which muslxet-barrel
could be thrust. Here Frank antici-
pated his worst danger, nor was he de-
ceived.
Major, they are gathering brush at
the back and firing the building!'' a
private cried.
Alas, it was too true. Even as the
man spoke a sitting cloud of smoke
filed the place, more dense, perhaps,
because the wood was wet from the
storm and refused to burn freely. AS
nl-luck would have it, too, the light
night breeze came from this very quar-
ter. 1t was desperate strait. With
out were raging those bloodthirsty
fiends, who, unlike ethe chivalrous
Southern soldiers, seldom gave an
enemy quarter; within the air each in
slant became more and more unbreath-
able. A horse, too, maddened by the
smell of fire, had broken loose, and they
were obliged to shoot him to prevent
his trampling on the wounded.
''Shan we make an assault, Major?''
Charlie asked, as cool as though he was
on parade.
"How can we?" Besant groaned, for
the thought of his gallant men perish.
ing like rats in a trap cut him to the
quick. THAT narrow door, the only
egress, would only permit us to rush
out in line so thin that the boys would
be slaughtered like sheep in pen"
"But we should die fighting, and not
be cholzed to death by this Internal
atmosphere"
"a flag of truce and surrender is all
1 see for it, Charlie" was the doleful
answer. ''There is one chance in a
thousand they might respect it,
''Then, let me bear it. Quick, or I
shall stife.''
There was no alternative.
you'll tell the old man did my duty
to the last" Fulton said, as he grasped
Franks hand.
81 am as little likely to see your
father again as you are," was the sad
reply.
Quick as flash the door is opened
and Fulton advances with white hand
kerchief waving in the air.
Do those rough hordes stay their
hands at the fluttering symbol of peace?
Not so; with a yell of derision they