The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1895-03-07
CHAPTER XII,

CHAPTER XII,
A RACE FOR LIFE,
Major Burke's command was ordered
to guard the telegraph line extending
south from Rossyille. The regiment
was strung out to considerable dis
tance, each troop guarding a certain
portion Of the line. Corporal Ratigan
was placed in charge of sootion Of
two miles. Putting himself at tho head
Of eight mon, ho Jed them to tho end Of
his section neS''ist camp, and dividing
them into two reliefs Of four men each
posted them at intervals Of half a mile
along the line under his care. At sun
set, not being relieved, he prepared to
spend tho night in bivouac. Selecting a
dump Of trees under which to rest and
cutting some boughs for beds-or rather
to keep the men from the damp ground
tho corporal established tho relief, Off
duty, thero. Tho rations wero cooked
and eaten, aftor which tho guard was
relieved The corporal went out always
with the relief, posted his men and
slept between times.
1t was Q O'Clock in the morning when
Ratigan started out to post tho last ro-
lief for the night. The men followed,
grum and stupid, having just been wax
ened out Of sound sleep and not yot
thoroughly aroused. The party rodo to
the extremo end Of tho section, loft n
man and turned back, leaving man at
every half milo. Corporal Ratigan had
posted the last man half milo from tho
biyouao and was returning when sud
denly, turning q bend in the road ruiz
ming through q wood, he deserted q
dark object before him beside the road.
lie drew roin and watched and listened.
The dark object, as he fixed his gaze
upon it, grew into tho dim outlines of a
vehicle, but it was too dark for him to
sec If it contained any one. The oorpo-
raj, whose mind had been fixed on the
special duty Of protecting tho line, at
once assumed that somo one was trying
to ont the wire. lie put spurs to his
horse and called out:
"Halt, there! Throw up your hands
and surrender, or I'll shoot
The only response was swish from
n whip which came down evidently OH
horses back, and tho dark mass be-
fore him vanished around tho bond in
the road The corporal dashed OH, but
before he could get around tho bend the
object had turned again, Ho could hear
tho rnttling Of wheels and sounds Of a
horses hoofs digging into tho road Mt
q gallop. Whoever was behind that
horse must bo driving at frightful
paoo, for urging his own beast to his
best hc socmcdA 10 loso rather than gain
ground. Coming to straight piece Of
road, he could again sec tho object bo
fore him, but III tho darkness it was
simply darker spot than its surround
ings. Suddenly the ears of the corporal
caught q sound that filled him with as
tonishment. 1t was voice urging for
ward tho horse ho was chasing Rati
ing to escape was a man, yet this voice
was different from mans tones. 1t
sounded like that Of child or woman.
Tho corporal was puzzled Then it sud
denly occurred to him that perhaps ho
was chasing Betsy Baggs.
Now, tho corporal was as oonscion.
tious man rs there was in tho Army
of tho Cumberland and ono Of the
most gallant, but when tho suspicion
fell upon him like u chill that no was
after q woman whose presence, for tho
brief period ho had been with her, had
thrown strange spell over him he
ceased to urge his horse with tho Same
pressure as before. In tho midst Of tho
chase there had como contest within
his own breast botweon two conflicting
emotlons. If Betsy Baggs were in front
OF him' what would be tho result if he
should catch herP Ho must turn her
over to the military authorities, and the
chances we're sho would DO executed for
spy On the other hand, supposine he
permitted her to escape, he would be
liberating m enemy far moro danger.
GUS to the army in which he served
than dozen batteries. In ahort y.
would be traitor to his comrades ani
his cause.
Miss Baggs, for it was she. had nass.
cd many pickets, had experienced NAM
lucky escapes. She had browbeaten Off.
GERS and had oozened soldiers. she hol
gone through dozen places where 8
man would surely have been arrested
And now, after passing 80 many dan
gers, on the very eve Of success, she and
denly found herself in the most crition
of all the situations she had ever bee,
placed in.
Meanwhile the long legs Of Bohb,
Leo were getting over tho ground n,
an astonishing pace. 1t was not the tr;
anaulation Of Q former reoe for spor,