Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1891-03-11

sGood heavens, Diclxl and Is this pos
sible in land like ours? But surely
these fends were not your neighbors.
man?"
'tNeighbors? Aye-neighbors who
ned gone to the same slSule es we uns,
tended the same church, danced, drunk
an played wi us from the time we was
no bigger'n little Bill-but, by the Cord
tibet made me, they shall pay with a
life fur every drop of blood they shed!'
Well indeed did the young Missourian
keep his word.
Frank was too shocked by the story
he had heard to encourage further con-
versation, while Swayne, wrapt in
meditations of the past, seemed pleased
to lie back and smoke in moody silence.
For an hour or two they thus re-
manned, their bodies resting, though
their minds were active.
Suddenly the countrymun started
with a gesture of alarm.
"Harlx!'' he cried, all alert on the in
slant.
A few moments of profound silence.
''I hear nothing" Frank said, in an
excited whisper.
''The tramp of mounted men" was the
answer, ''to yer boss, man, an hustle
ivelyr
A minute later and they were going
ut headlong speed. To Franks surprise
they turned ut right angles from the
line they were pursuing-for road, you
could not call it-and plunged into the
rode with undininished speed. This
brought them to n clearing, across
which they literally flew, urging the
h. a. 1<.-.,
but as they reached the cover of
friendly wood, Swayne drew the rein.
"Hold hard q minute, mate, we must
breathe the critters, or they'll hev
US sure es shootin'," he cried, wheel
ing his horse round, and peering through
the branches of the trees.
The clearing was q long strip of corn
land, lying in a valley between two
ridges. Frank and Swayne had crossed
it at right angles in it's narrowest part,
where it was probably not more than
fifty or sixty rods from wood to wood.
All, here they comet
Not as Swayne and Frank had done,
but up the full sweep of the lowland-a
long line of struggling horsemen, half
a mile away yet, but in full sight of the
wary watchers.
by Moses, but them hyeuas amt on
our tracks after all! See that chap a.
leadin' 'em-he's the one they're
chasin', an the Lord hev mercy on his
soul, eff they catches him."
1t was an exciting scene. As Swayne
| said, the leading man was evidently
the quarry Of the others, and rs they drew
nearer it was apparent that he wore
the uniform of Union officer. The
chase must have been long and severe,
for the horses of oil were pounding
along with that rolling gait, which told
| how nigh they were exhausted. In
fact, several in the far distance could
be seen who had dropped out of the
race altogether: only three were within
! pistol-shot of the fugitive, on whom
they were gaining at every stride.
81 allow we're agoin' ter take 2, ham
in this game" Dick said, grizzly,
tightening his saddle-girth as he spoke.
"Now soon es they git alongside, dash
out on 'em, an boiler fur all yer worth
they'll think the woods is full on us,
an You'll see circus"
So when the laundering hoofs were
close upon them, the two young fellows
burst out of ambush, yelling like q
band of Comanches.
/ Swayne, with his strong, fresh horse,
in the fury of his attack literally rode
down the foremost of the pursuers
while Frank hurled himself upon the
second, who, however, managed to keep
his saddle.
But the rout was complete. Without
stopping to look behind them the en-
envy had turned tail and fed, doubtless
believing from the daring nature of the
attack that whole regiment was a
their heels.
"Quiclx, b'ys, to the wood!' Swayne
cried, "atore these wildcats kin git the1
eyes skinned ter see the trick we've
played EN-"
AS they rode under cover agar
Frank turned to examine the man they
had rescued. He was a well-built