Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1892-05-13

my pHIsucrs grew FAINTER. had
proceeded some distance, and now,
through the thinning trees, | saw that
had come within shooting distance
Of the rcd-trowsored sentinel lying
upon the wall, stunning himself.
There were, in fact, two scntrics
there; ono lolling upon the wall and
the other leaning against it with but
bead and shoulders visible. | OBJ
served item very distinctly; / heard
tteif voices now and then, and the
lazy ySwning of the ono that lay i'll
the sunlight.
Saw their chasscpots cleaning in
the sun aud in such close proximity
they wore an ugly look.
l was safe, however, as their at
tention was not attracted toward me,
and so | turned my thoughts to my
two pursuors again. | had heard them
hunting and cursing for a while far
in my rear, but now all noise of them
had died sway.
Happening to turn my glance up to
the stone coping, to which longed to
return, | saw, to my surprise, that the
two -pickers had given up my
pursuit and were engaged in their for
mer occupation again. But now they
were much nearer TO the coping than
they had been before, and under tho
cover of their pretended employment
they were still slowly but surely adj
vancing. l well perceived ther OBJ
ject.
Here was prcdicamem!, truly. The
sentinel, not possessed of an abun-
dance Of wit, would let the two ap-
proach unchallengcd, until they were
near enough to turn suddenly and
shoot him with their hidden weapons;
and yet were | to attempt TO warn
him, swift and sure retrlbution would
be gup my own head, both from be-
Bpt this was not alb Atlhe pace
where l stood in hiding the foliage
that sheltered the stream grew scarce
and ended. Before INC was wide
plot of unprotected turf.
On the other side of this open space
the thicket thcrc began to stealthily
be stirred. | saw the tops of the
bushes nod. What other foe lay
crouchiug there? Was there one who
could see me and was aiming at me
even now perhaps? Was the thickct
full of soldiers who would rush forth
when the dcath-shot of the sentry
above should ring out?
This train of nervous fancies, how
ever, was not interrupted. Rising
carefully from the midst of the bushes
| saw a well-known pointed helmet.
A head rose, too, and a hand that
waved greeting.
1t was Moritz, who, grown uneasy
at my non-appearance, had stolen
down to ferret out the cause.
Immense as was the figure of the
Pomeranian, yet he concealed himself
very ably. Inoticod from his actions
that he guarded himclf only from the
view of the two scntrics by the wall,
seeming TO think that screened from
them he would be safe.
As lie crawled carefully out into the
open, therefore, | attracted his atten-
ton 10 the two masculine females
who had gradually stolen close to the
coping.
The Pomcranian knelt in the grass
aud looked up. As he noted the two
figures and the intentions which thcil
movements betrayed, his face became
transfxcd with rage. SO terrible was
the wrath depicted upon it that ] was
glad TO see it turned towards Others
than myself
One of those figures mp there, in
his gaudy costume, had already
reached The coping and with his chas'
sepot 10 his shoulder ready for firing,
peercd steal,hily over the stone wal
to locate the sentry.
At this act and those costumes ot
duplicity, the large Pomeranian, re-
gardless of all consequences, leaped
from the earth and fairly beloved
with rage. Ii seemed 10 infuriatc hin
bevond reason that those two rogue'
above should have thus deceived him
A sudden fash from his gun thor
oughly annihi!atcd the disguised sol
dier at the coping.
Swinging his gun like club an(
roaring with fury, he ran up the hill
side toward the other. Somehow hi
actions aroused me 10 like fury, ant
we both tore madly up the hill toware
The skirted soldier who, turning
seemed struck as if by thunderbol
at our sudden approach.
The shot of Moritz had sent th'
echoes reverberating among the hills
The French outposts leapcd up, as j
electrified, from their sunny wall; in
Vulnerable others started up from tn
surrounding thickets. A rain of bul
let's fairly peppcrcd the grassy slope
But our sudden on-rush had carried
us i'm advance of this hail.