The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1892-09-28
CHAPTER III.
A RErRoGRADE MOVEMENT.


For moment the blood seemed to forsake
Luke's VEINS, and left him trembling with
dread. Awakened by shouts, the crack Of
firearms and all the appalling sounds OF
carnage, confuses the veteran, and the Won
der Is that it did not produce panic among
these raw recruits.
Perhaps they were too much stupefed to
become panic-stricken. They seemed to
realize that their safety lay in getting be-
hind the fence as soon as possible, as it
afforded them Il partial protection.
BY the time Luke reached the fence the
firing ceased and the echoes Of the shots
died away. The raw recruit glanced down
the fence row, which was dark with men
crouching, kneeling and lying behind it,
while their guns formed a serried phalanx Of
black muzzles. The moon shone in peaceful
spenlor upon the scene, illuminating it with
foods OF silver light. No one could be seen
in the wood beyond, but it was from that
point that the attack was threatened.
Wien Luke found old Arkansaw Tom on
one side Of him, aud Ned Cotton on the
other, he rocained his self-possession.
Whore were the encmy3 Not one was in
sight, nor had a shot been fired in the last
three minutes. Luke asked Arkansaw
| Tom wheco the rebels were, and was told
that they were not far away, and were ad-
vencing on them, for they had already
driven in the picllets. But so peaceful and
quiet was the scene that Luke was about
! half inclined TO believe there was some mis-
, take about it,
The crickets, which had been awed to
silence by those rude alarms, resumed their
chirrups, and tho whippoorwlll, on the dis
tant hill, renewed its song A pig came
struggling down the path beyond the fence,
grunting and roofing about among the
! leaves, wholly unconscious of danger
For several moments not q word was heard,
and naught save crickets, night birds, the
rustling of leaves and grunting Of the pig
broke the silence This walting-this eX-
| pecting a bloody struggle-was more try
ing on the nerves than if a death struggle
was al hand. Luke's mind was busy recall
/ ing tho past and trying to dip into the
future. Would this night end all on earth
below, and would tho mystery Of his birth
be revealed only in eternity!
Some one whispered:
"They comeW
The regular tramp of feet could be heard
coming over the distant ridge, where the at
tackm g party had evidently halted to dress
| their lines.
"Stiddy, stiddyr' said Captain Smart, il
voice which was a little unsteady itself
but which had within it the ring of deter
mlnation that gave courage to the men.
Luke strained his eyes to catch glimpse
of the foe. Tho nearer approach of tn
marching columns indicated that they
would soon be in sight, and, despite all his
determination, he found himself trembling
The pig continued to root about among
the leaves, at peace with all the world, ant
giving vent 20 its satisfaction in expressive
grunts.
The enemy at last came in sight among
the trees ON the ridge, and despite the in
functions of the officers tho more nervous
of the recruits behind the fence row began
blazing away At them. Luke at first dc
termined to obey the command of his superb
ors, and wait till the foe were near enough
TO make a sure shot, but the enemy being
recruits also, ana as nervous as the mel
they were attacking, returned the fire, ant
when bullet struck a rail so near him n
to cover his face with dust and rotten wool
he could no longer restrain himself, anC
blazod away with the others.
The pig gave utterance to a squeal Q
alarm and ran hither and thithcr, met ev
erywhere with binding flashes and deafen
ing reports, until it at last raced down th
fence row at full speed.
The enemy made no charge, butcontente
themselves to fire few shots at long range
and then gradually fell back.
Whether any of them had been killed o
wounded the Union recruits could not dc
termlne, though next morning a puddle Q
blood close to a tree was discovered. BI
Snow, the only man touched On tee Unio
side, had slight icsA wound IL his arm.
Captain Smart made no effort to pursu
the enemy. but coateutet himself to renal
behind the fence with his forces fer an G"u
or two after they he'd disappeared III
attacking force wcs evidently aoout cJCi