The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1895-03-07
And now the last sentry is passed,

oho *oWo VI WulIo- GolltS luGO u 1rO0 fOat
ahead. Tho noises are left behind. Blu
amid the confusion Of distant sounds i
ono which, coming with low, contin
ued rattle, strikes terror into her heart
A familiarity with war has taught he
its calls She hears tho beating of til,
'long roll. :" The whole camp is arous
ed. A legion Of Yankees may soon bo il
pursuit.
Corporal Ratigan was stopped by ev
cry sentinel who had tried to oheok Miss
Baggs. After an explanation to each ht
was suffered to go Oh. The men wht
stopped him transmitted the informa
ton at once to the guard tent that some
one-doubtloss an enemy-was being
chased. The force was u division Of in
fantry, with no cavalry except mount
ed escort to the general commanding.
Some Of these were ordered In pursuit.
Ihorc was hurried saddling of horses,
sprinkled with oaths ut tho DELAYS Ell
counterett, and threo cayalrymen mount.
ed and dashed after Miss Baggs and he,
pursuer. But before they started q cou.
pie OF milos had been placed between
her and tho camps.
The gray Of tho morning was by this
time beginning to reveal objects with
greater distinctness Ratigan, coming
to rise In tho ground just beyond tho
camps, saw tho buggy about two miles
ahead swaying like the dark hull Of q
ship rolling through tho pillows Of al,
ocean. For n moment ho hesitated bo.
tween his duty rs soldior and that
quick, sharp something, be it love, be,
witohment Or natural sympathy Of
man Tor weaker woman, while beads OF
GOLD porsplration stood on his forehead,
1t seemed to him that if he should do
his duty he would bo acting tho part OF
an exooutioner, not only that, but tho
exooutioner Of woman-a woman
whose image had got into his hoart and
his head and never left him moment's
peace since she first throw the spell OF
her enhancing personality about him.
1t was a hard struggle, and from the
nature Of the case could not be long
one. Duty won. Ho shouted to his horse,
gave him q dig with both spurs and
dashed forward.
There was q depression in the ground
down which the corporal plunged. Their
the road ran along level for awhile,
with another slight rise beyond. AS he
rode down the declivity tho fugitive
was on the crest of tho second rise. She
stood up and turned to catch o glance
behind her. She saw horseman-she
was too far to recognize tho corporal
dashing after her. Below her was G
wooded space, and sho noticed that
which gave her glimmer Of hopo.
The road forked. Urging her horse on.
ward, she aimed to get OH ono Of tho
two roads beyond tho fork while her
pursuer was in the hollow bacl, Of her,
trusting that she might escape, as she
had escaped before, by forcing him tc
choose between two roads, and trusting
that he might take the wrong ono.
Down the declivity her racer plunged
while Ratigan was galloping down thu
one behind her. So steep was tho roat
and so swift her horse's pace that tn,
danger Of death by mangling seemed
greater than death by hanging. Sh'
reached the bottom, where the road ra,
level to the fork and tho wood. Hop
urged her. 1t was not 100 yards to tn
point she was so anxious to reach.
Passing over rut at the very fork o
the road that seemed her only ohanc
for escape, the old buggy gave disma
groan, as much in sympathy with tn
mistress it had served so we'll as deatl
rattle, and few into hundred pieces.