Waterbury evening Democrat., 1894-04-20

thar. or yo' wouldn't be yere now. He was eoin to burn yo' un alive"
 The reports of the guns told Uncle Ben that the two men in camp had been attacked, and that he had not mo- ment to waste with the woman. All his strength and resolution had returned, and without needing her words he start ed off at stout pace. She felt certain of his mission, and she was determined to detain him if possible. Mrs. Baxter was not only fearless woman under all circumstances, but in such crisis as this she was desperate. If Uncle Ben brought help, all that lad been gained would be lost, and Ike might be killed or captured with the rest of the gang. She stepped aside to let the old slave pass and then followed at his heels, threatening, tauntin2 and commanding by turns and almost daring to lay hands on him. If she had been armed with knife or pistol, she would have attacked him at once. As she was not she con- tinued to follow him in hopes of en- countering some one on the highway. If white man, and she cried out to him that the black had dared to raise his hand against her, Uncle Ben would be seized, if not shot down in his tracks.
 Aggravated and annoyed by the pain of the blows inflicted by Ike Baxter, maddened by the woman's words and her continued presence and rendered desperate by the danger of the general situation, it was no wonder the old man suddenly turned at bay with the glare of hunted wolf in his eyes. She was f00 oInSn tn him fn SprInO1nU forward, he seized her by the shoulders, lifted her from the ground, and with mighty effort he flung her clear of the road. At that point the ground sloped sharply away toward a ravine, and as the woman struck the earth with stun ming force she rolled over and over un- til she finally brought up against bush 50 feet away.
 De Lawd furgive me, but couldn't dun help it!" groaned Uncle Ben as he continued his way. 'Dey's arter Miss Sunshine, an dey's arter me, an dey s arter Mars Kenton, an de good ole mis- sus am lyin dead in de house, an what's gwine to hecum of us all dunno"'
 With eyes fastened on the pathway, with teeth hard shut, with words of prayer rising to his lips and a constant struggle against the feeling of despair seeking a Judgment in his heart, the faithful old slave pressed on, mile after mile, and suddenly found himself confronted by a party of horsemen in blue uniforms. The goal had been won, and as he realized it up went went his arms, and he sank down on the icy road.
 Runaway darky, but he isn't pur- cno1 fhof I - observed fha tain of the troop as he ordered halt. 'Some of you men lven him up with sip of whisky"
 A sergeant dismounted and put a flask to Uncle Ben's lips and forced some of the contents down his throat. In a couple of minutes the old man sat up and looked around.
 Were you running away" asked the captain as he rode closer.
 whar's Mars Custer:' gasp ed Uncle Ben in reply.
 "General Custer? Oh, he's some miles away. Did you want to see him?"
 Miss Sunshine dun wants him, sah wants him to cum quick! De gorril- las an de sojers am up dar tryin to burn de house an kill eberybody!'
 Uncle Ben was so overcome that it took 10 minutes to get his story straight. The troopers numbered only about half a company and had been sent out to in- tercept Confederate mail courier who was expected to enter that valley through Hempstead's gap, three miles away. The captain wrote a note and sent it off to the Federal lines by cou rier, but could do no more in the matter. Uncle Ben was given some ratiOns to make breakfast of, provided with a blanket by kind hearted trooper and instructed to wait for the force which would be sure to come up within two or three hours.
 Let us anticipate their coming. As the fusillade had drawn no reply from the fort, the enemy at length concluded that its defenders had been disabled. They also realized that the sounds of battle might reach Federal ears and bring up force to the rescue, and it was therefore decided to advance upon the camp without further loss of time. AS Brayton had predicted, they formed on the open ground to the south. The entire force formed in two lines for a charge, and as movement or two showed that they were about ready to advance Steve quietly remarked:
 Il dunno whar Jeff Davis bought this yere carbine, but it was mighty cute trick in him. She S good for seven shots as fast as kin pull trigger, and that means that sumbody's goin to git hurt Yo' un hold yo'r buckshot till they git on this side ot that bush. How yo feel in, Yank?"
 'EA1l rioht -
 "Of co'se yo' ar. Yo' ar lookin jest as natural as an ole hat! Yere they cum!"
 With chorus of yells that would have done credit to a war party of Paw nees, the enemy broke cover and ad- vanced at run. They were hardly in the open before Steve began blazing away. His fire was fast and deadly, but it did not check them. It was only when Kenton, who was coolly waiting for them to pass the bush, let fly both barrels into them at just the right range for buckshot to do it's best that the charge was broken, and every man on his feet sought safety in precipitate re- treat.
 That is awful!" whispered Kenton as the smoke blew away and gave them a clear sight of the ground.
 Lands, but We uns hev licked the hull southern confedeIacy!' answered Steve.
 At first sight it seemed as if half the charging force had been wiped out, but after a moment some of those who had fallen began to creep away to the shelter of the rocks and bushes They