Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1892-01-28


why this important road was without
patrol or picket.
The best part Of an hour elapsed.
"Hake up, boys, quickly and quietly
as you can. Make no noise whatever
our lives depend upon your silence"
It was the Majors voice.
In five minutes his officers were In his
room.
you sec that hill yonder, my lads"
he said, grimly pointing 10 the cluster
ing pines. "Well, Just beyond those
pretty trees In little valley lies half q
regiment Of Confederate cavalry, who
are about 20 do us the honor Of an early
morning call What do you say TO our
getting up little surprise party and
anticipating them In their polite atten-
tions? You think IL best, Of course
then order your men under arms with
out an instants loss-gct them out OF
the church II you can without sound
and meet me at the bend OF the road
yondcr"
All, little do Colonel Ilawcs and his
merry men, stretched at their ease on
the green sward, snatching few hours
Of precious sleep before they shall cap
the climax Of Jack Lasccllos' superb
mimicry by pcppcrinR the lives out Of
those poor devils Of dcfenselcss Nunlts,
know that two hundred cleaning
musliets, held by the hands Of rc-olutc
men were pointed ON their PROSTATE
forms from every tree around them.
Little did they think that even now
their careless piclScts lay stunned, or
gagged and bound at their neglected
posts.
Did they start in their sleep and think
II was n dream, as the hoarse command
rang out:
make rcady-Fircl Fix bayuncts-
Chargc!" and two deadly volleys walked
the woodland echoes with wild hurrah
the Fighting Fourth were on them.
There Is no time to even shout surprise;
the only sounds the scuiiling Of men
and tramp Of stccds, rs II score or two
Of troopers, fighting like wildcats,
manage 20 cut their horses loose and
flee 20 the valley below. II was n grand,
glorious little victory fifty Of the
enemy killed and wounded, over forty
prisoners taken and nearly two hundred
horses, with their equipments and ac-
coutrcments, captured, to say notlingof
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, vcngcful hastc-ah. there
he goes stretching his long legs like
crane In awkward flight, and making
with maddcncd haste for a ncighboring
copsc.
after him, boysl" the Major cried,
pointing with his sword 20 the luclslcss
fugitive. "lll give fifty dollars 10 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 u declaration not Frank
Bcsnnt, who gaacd in inquring wonder
on his flushed checks and flashing eyes.
But the Majors soul was raging against
the haplcss wrctch's sustained duplici-
ty, and, when no said he intended TO
hang the scoundrel, he surely meant it.
Poor Squire Dixon was indeed n
pitiablc sight us lie was dragged by two
rough soldiers into the irato Majors
presence.
"Fling n rope over the limb of that
tree and tic him up!" was the stern
command.
At first the poor wrctch's tongue re-
fused to utter AFFECT prayers for pardon,
hut when in an agony Of terror he saw
them making the fatal preparations a
torrent of wild supplicntions burst from
his lips.
But the Majors face never relaxed a
muscle.
"String him mp, boys"
Already the mems hands were fore
ing his neck into the moose, when an
other appeal from the doomed man was
more effective.
~ will give the lives of six Union sol
dicrs for my own-siX strong, young
men in the vigor Of youth for this old,
worn-out life OF mine!" he cried, with
dcspuiring energy.
"What do You mean? Speak quickly,
scoundrel, or II win be too latc!'
There are six Union prisoners hidden
where you can never find them II die
with the secret on my lips, and where,