Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1891-07-02
Copyright. 1891. by A. N. Kellogg Newspaper Co.
CHAPTER xI1-cosr1sr,Ep

thoughts, he would indeed have been
startled; for his meditations were on
the possibility of a man sincerely low
ing two women, with himself as an IL
lustratiOn of the problem, and one of
the women, the true wife the sea had
robbed him of, the other-whom he
could only remember as a lovely school
girl-the mother of his young friend
and subaltern. All, it was her face,
, not his boys, that the lad had reminded
him of when ne first noticed him on
board the ship going down to ST. Louis
''Pretty Mary Carter the Major
thought, Il wonder what she is like now
wonder if she was happy with that fell
low Eesant, who always seemed to me
"a bit of prig,-wonder if"
But his dreams were cut short by his
noticing the figure of a man creeping
-stealthily across the orchard. He first
thought it was Charlie Fulton, but as
the fellow emerged from the shadows
into the mOOnlit road, he quickly saw
his mistake, and moment after he
recognized the tall, spare figure of his
host In an instant treachery flashed
across his mind like an electric shock.
Surely Dixon had told him an hour ago
that he was so weary he could scarcely
keep his eyes open and would be in bed
in few minutes: then what did this
midnight ramble mean? Snatching his
field-glass from it's case, he fixed his
eyes on an open bit of road he knew
the midnight prowler would shortly
reach.
Yes, there he was. A long, shrill
whistle like the call of bird, and a
mounted man in Confederate uniform
rode up to him. They talked together
because they thought themselves too
far away for observation, but they were
reckoning without the Majors power
full binoculars. Then the trooper
turned back up the hill and Dixon &C
cOmpanied him. To snatch his cap
and pistols and spring from the win
dow was but the work Of a minute to
one whose active, wholesome life made
his e-and-fOrty-years as light bur-
den as many mans Of half his age. The
drop to the ground shook him Bit but
he was not hurt, and without stopping
to give word of warning to any one, he
started up the hill. Now he could I'M
-derstand why Dixon had persuaded
him to post his sentries on the north,
why this important road was without
patrol or picket.
The best part of an hour elapsed.
wake up, boys, quickly and quietly
as you can. Make no noise whatever
our lives depend upon your silence"
1t was the Majors voice.
In five minutes his officers were in his
room.
You see that hill yonder, my lads, +"
The said, grimly pointing to the cluster
ing pines. well, just beyond those
pretty trees in a little valley lies half
Of
are about to do us the honor of an early
morning call. What do you say to our
getting up Il little surprise party and
anticipating them in their polite atten-
tions? You think it best, of course
then order your men under arms with
out an instant'S loss-gct them out of
the church if you can without sound
and meet me at the bend of the road
-yonder."
All, little do Colonel Halves and his
merry men, stretched at their ease on
the green sward, snatching a few hours
of precious sleep before they shall cap
the climax Of Jack Lascelles' superb
.mimicry by peppering the lives out Of
those poor devils of defenseless Yanks,
know that two hundred cleaning
'muskets. held by the hands of resolute
men were pointed on their PROSTATE
forms from every tree around them.
Little did they think that even now
their careless pickets lay stunned, or
gagged and bound at their neglected
posts
Did they start in their sleep and think
lit was dream, as the hOarSe command
rang out:
>S.MaEe ready-Fire! Fix bayonets-
ChargeH and two deadly volleys walked
,,
the Fighting Fourth were on them.
There is no time to even shout surprise;
the only sounds, the scuffiing Of men
and tramp of steeds, as score or two
of troopers, fighting like wildcats,
manage to cut their horses loose and
fee to the valley below. 1t was grand,
glorious little victory - fifty of the
enemy killed and wounded, over forty
prisoners taken. and nearly two hundred
horses, with their equipments and &C
'coutremcnts. captured. to say nothing of
several stands of small arms and two
baggage wagons filed with ammunition
and supplies.
But there was one enemy the gallant
Major missed, and him he sought for
with eager, vengeful haste-ah, there
lhe goes stretching his long legs like a
crane in awkward flight, and making
with maddened haste for neighboring
copse:
CATER him, boys. the Major cried,
D.. pointing with his sword to the luckleSs
fugitive IN give fifty dollars to the
man that brings him back to me alive
alive, remember, for / want to hang
him.
Who would ever have thought the
gentle Major could have made as blood
thirsty a declaration not Frank
.Besant, who gazed in inquiring wonder
.on his flushed cheeks and flashing eyes.
But the Majors soul was raging against
the hapless wretch's sustained dupici
ty, and, when he said he intended to
hang the scoundrel, he surely meant it
Poor Squire Dixon was indeed a
pitiable sight as he was dragged by two
rough soldiers into the irate Majors
presence.
Filing rope over the limb of that
tree and tie him up.'' was the stern
command.
AT first the poor wretchs tongue re