The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1895-05-09
CHICkAMAUGA.
Continued from first page.)


man would surely have been arrested.
And now, after passing so many dan
gers, on the very eve of success, she sud.
denly found herself in the most critical
Of all the situations she had ever been
placed in.
Meanwhile the long legs Of Bobby
Lee were getting over the ground at
an astonishing pace. It was not the tri-
angulation of a former race for sport
with Corporal Ratigan, but the quick,
short jumps Of race for life. And
Bobby seemed to know the stake. New
or in his former flights had his ears been
turned back SO eagerly to catch the low
tones Of his mistress. Never had there
been so ouch feeling in that mistress
voice. It was: go on, Bobby! Good
old horse. Get up! On, OH, on! That 8
dear boy. It's life and death with me,
Bobby" continued stream of broken
words and sentences, all of which Bobby
seemed to understand and act upon as if
he had been a human being.
The fugitive knew that the chase
could not be a long one. Her crazy We
hicle was like rotten hulk in storm
without sea room. To the north was
the Tennessee river, and no means of
crossing. Ahead was Chickamauga
creek, but between her and it lay the
scattered forces of the left wing of the
Union army. She knew the ground
we'll and had as good a knowledge Of
the positions of the troops as one could
have Of an army constantly changing.
The point from which she had started
was half a mile west of Rossville on
the Lafayette road. A mile Of chasing
had brought her near fork. the left
road leading across Chickamauga creek
by Dyer's bridge, the right leading d.
rectly south. She determined to take
the left hand road, intending, if she
should succeed in reaching Dyer's mill,
about a mile from the creek, to strike
a ford some distance below that she re-
membered having once crossed.
These possibilities flashed through
her mind like messages over telegraph
wire while the thud Of hoofs and the
Gathering of her pursuer's swinging sa-
Der we're sounding in her ears.
"On, on, Bobby; for heavens sake,
20 on!"
Would it not be best for her to leave
her horse and buggy in the road and
take to the woods? No. They would
mark the point where she had left them
But her pursuer would not know which
side Of the road she had taken, and
there would be an even chance that he
would follow ON the wrong side. Some
thing must be done; the race could not
last forever; the man behind seemed to
be gaining, and then the dread Of com.
ing upon Union camp!
She was about to bring her horse to a
stand and jump from her buggy when
the clatter behind her-Ratigan had
turned slight bend in the road-sound-
ed so loud, SO near, that instead of doing
so she gave him a cut with the whip.
There's no time now, Bobby. We
must put greater distance between us
and the Yankee Get up, Bobby! Oh,
go on! Why haven't you wings?'
Heavens, what is that ahead? Tents,
white and ghostly in the gloom! And
how many of them! The whole field is
covered!
Nearer comes the clatter from behind.
In front is sleeping regiment, brigade,
perhaps whole division. It was not
there yesterday. It must be in transit.
Oh, why should it have halted just in
Fl mo RI h1ooL tho xuouo
"God help me, I must take my
chances and 60 on
Sentinels were pacing on their beats
about the camps. In some cases the
beats led along the road, but not across
it. Right through these chains of senti-
nels, right into the heart of this sleep
ing multitude of armed men, dashed
the woman whose only weapons Of de-
Tense were Bobby Lee and her antiquat-
ed vehicle.
"Halt!''
$50 on, Bobi''
A shot, bullet singing like a tun-
ing fork in ears which already sang
loud enough in themselves with excite
ment.
Turn out the guard!''
Following Miss Baggs came Corporal
Ratigan, to find the road in front Of
him blocked by half dozen men with
as many muskets pointed right up in
his face.
He uttered ali involuntary ''Thank
God!' He must be delayed; the respon-
sibility for the escape of the fugitive
would be with them. If indeed she were
Miss Baggs, he would regard himself
fortunate at the delay.
whats the matter?' asked one Of
the men.
''I'm chasing some one in front.
suspect telegraph breaker
"Ahl That's it, is it? Well, go on;
we've stopped the wrong person.
The corporal regretted that the inter.
view had been so brief, the interruption
70 short. He had no option but to dash
On. Before the fugitive there stood man
In the middle Of the road with q mus.
ket leveled straight at her, or rather at
the coming mass. which he could not
distinguish. Miss Baggs did not see