The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-10-10
Itopyright ls9a by Irving Bach ellsr.l

mai. ALONG the WnOle front VI Woou
| there was the dry cracking of musket-
ry, with bitter. swift flashes and smoke
that writhed like stung phantoms. The
troopers yelled shrilly and spanged bull
let's low into the foliage.
For a moment, when near the woods,
the line almost halted. The men strug-
gled and fought for time like SWIM
mers encountering powerful current.
Then with supreme effort they went
on again. They dashed madly at the
grove, whose foliage from the high light
of the field was as inscrutable as wall
Then suddenly each detail of the calm
trees became apparent and with a 1ew
more frantic leaps the men were in the
cool gloom of the woods. There was
heavy odor as from burnt paper. Wisps
of grey smoke wound upward The
men halted and, grimey, perspiring and
putting, they searched the recesses of
the woods with eager. fierce glances.
Figures could be seen fitting afar off.
A dozen carbines ratified at them in an
angry volley.
During this pause. the captain strobe
along the line, his face lit with broad
smile Of contentment. when he sends
this crowd to do anything, | guess he IL
find we do it pretty sharp" he said to
the grinning lieutenant.
minute, did they" said the subaltern.
Both officers were profoundly dusty in
their uniforms, and their faces were
soiled like those of two urchins.
Out in the grass behind them We're
three tumbled and silent forms.
Presently the line moved forward
again. The men went from tree to tree
like hunters stalking game. Some at
the left of the line fired occasionally
and those at the right gazed curiously in
that direction. The men still breathed
heavily from their scramble across the
field.
OF a sudden a trooper halted and said:
Hello there's house"' Everyone
paused. The men turned to look at
their leader.
The captain stretched his neck and
swung his head from side to side. by
George, it Is houSew ne said
Through the wealth of leaves there
vaguely loomed the form of large,
white house. These troopers brown
faced from the many days of campa ign,
ing, each feature of them telling of their
placid confidence and courage We're
stopped abruptly by the appearance of
this house. There was some subtle suS-
sestion-some tale of an unknown thing
which watched them from they knew
not what part of it.
A rail fence girted a wide lawn of
tangled grass. Seven pines stood along
a driveway which led from two distant
posts of vanished gate. The blue
clothed troopers moved forward until
they stood at the fence peerng over it.
The captain put one hand on the top
rail and seemed to be about to climb the
fence when suddenly he hesitated and
said in low voice: Watson, what do
you think of it?"
The lieutenant stared at the house.
''Derned if know" he replied.
The captain pondered. 1t happened
that the whole company had turned
gaze of profound awe and doubt upon
this editice which confronted them. The
men were very silent.
AT last the captain swore and said:
''We are certainly a pack of fools.
Derned old deserted house hating a
company of Union cavalry and making
us cape like babies"
Yes, but there's something-some-
thing insisted the subtaltern in
half stammer.
well, if there's. 'something-some-
thing in there, I'll get it out" said the
captain. Send Sharpe clean around
to the other side with about twelve
men. so we will sure bag your some
thfng-something' and I'll take a few
OF the boys and find out what's in the
ID old thing"
He chose the nearest eight men for
his ''storm!ng party" as the lieutenant
called it. After he had waited some
minutes for the others to get into posi-
ton. he said come ahead" to his eight
men and climbed the fence.
The brighter light Of the tangled lawn
made him suddenly feel tremendously
apparent and he wondered If there
could be some mystic thing in the house