Waterbury evening Democrat., 1894-04-21
AYANKEE IN GRAY
By CHARLES B. LEWIS (M. QUAD.
lCopyriSht. 1894, by American Press Associa,
 tiOnl
CHAPTER XXVIII.


 CHAPTER XXVIII.
 The courier dispatched by the captain of the, Federal troop reached the lines in due time and handed the message to General Custer, whose brigade was in winter quarters, but scouting and recon noitering almost daily An order had 1 been issued by the general in command of the army in the valley outlawing all Confederate iIregulars and directing special attention to Mosby's band. Within half an hour after receiving the courier Custer dispatched two com l panies uf the Sixth Michigan cavalry, with instructions to push forward at a | gallOp, and 30 minutes later he fol- ! lowed them with the First and Fifth regiments and battery of artillery. | The flying column found old Uncle Ben | patiently waiting by the roadside and stopped long enough to hear his story. 1 He gave them the lay of the camp oc- cuIied by kenton and Brayton and was ! lett behind to wait for the main column. ! Perhaps the besieging force was in earnest in making the statement which fell from the lips of the flag of truce ! man as an alternative. They had suf- fered too severely to try another charge up the narrow way, and the fusillade I maintained for hours had been lead thrown away. Ike Baxter had indeed been sent away for re-enforcements and piece of artillery, and the guerrilla portion of the force was thirsting for re- venge and rife for the most desperate deed. The girl had defied them, and her lover had killed two or three of their number, and somebody must be made to suffer.
 The sergeant in command of the squad of Confederate cavalry had no control over the guerrillas, but when, as they waited to hear from the men behind the rocks, he heard them planning to wreak their vengeance on Rest Ha- ven, he did all in his power to dissuade them. They seemed to abandon the idea. but under pretense of having talk four or five of them slipped away and started for the house. They were within 20 rods of it and had already di- vided up the wicked work to be swiftly accomplished when the flying squadron turned bend in the highway and was upon them. They turned to flee, but half a dozen revClve1s cracked, and they were dead men as the last set of fours jumped over their bodies lying on the Highway. Not trooper slackened his rein or a horse broke his gallop.
 Halt. Dismount! Fourth men hold horses! Deploy to the left! Forward and fire at willy
 It was complete surprise to the Con- federates, who had collected in body to hear what answer might be made to the message sent in. They made a show of defense, but after a fight of five min utes, during which they lost 10 or 12 men, they threw down their arms and surrendered. This event was known in the camp almost as soon as outside of it, and the cheers which Steve Brayton ut tered as he perched himself on the rocks were plainly heard as far as Rest Haven.
 ''Yank, old boy, We uns is on the top limb now, " chuckled Steve as he leaped down and shook Kenton's hand "Bein as I've got sorter used to the sight of Yankee uniforms, I reckon I II drop over thar and tell 'em about yo' and see what goin to be done. '
 But tell them of Miss Percy first" replied Kenton, whose anxiety was far greater than he had dared betray to his comrade.
 The prisoners were conducted to the highway and surrounded by guard, and then the senior captain accompanied Brayton back to the camp. They were not long in deciding what should be done with Kenton. They would remove him to Rest Haven, temporarily at least, and the prisoners would be held there until the main column came up. A rude litter was soon constructed, and Kenton was placed thereon and borne away.
 A feeling of dumb despair crept over Marian Percy as she entered the house after Uncle Ben's departure and looked upon her dead. The event was not en- tiIely unexpected, and yet it was great shock to her, surrounded as it was by such trying circumstances. The mother dead, Mrs. Baxter gone, her lover wounded and besieged by bloodthirsty men, Uncle Ben gone after help, an al- most certain knowledge that the worst was yet to Come-what wonder that the girl was stricken and heiplessf The re- port of every musket reached her ears,