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

short jump; OF q race for life And
Bobby seemed to know the stake. Nov,
er in his former flights had his ears been
turned back SO eagerly to catch tho low
tones of his mistress. Never had there
been so much feeling III that mistress
voice. 1t was: GO Oh, Bobbyl Good
old horse. Get upl On, Oh, onl That's
dear boy. It's life and death with me,
Bobby" q continued stream Of broken
words and sentences, all of which Bobby
seemed to understand and act upon rs il
lie had been human being.
Tho fugitive knew that tho chase
could not be q long one. Hor crazy ve-
hicle was like q rotten hulk in storm
without sea room. To the north was
the Tennessee river, and no means Of
crossing. Ahead was Chiokamauga
creek, but between her and it lay the
scattered forces Of tho left wing of the
Union army. She knew the ground
we'll and had as good 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 mile west of Rossville OH
the Lafayette road. A mile of chasing
had brought her near q fork. the left
road leading across Chickamauga creek
by Dyer's bridge, the right leading di
reotly south. She determined to take
the left hand road, intending, If she
should succeed in reaching Dyer's mill,
about mile from the creek, to strike
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
ber were sounding in her ears.
''On, Oh, Bobby; for heavens sake,
go onl'
Would it not be best for her to leave
her horse and buggy in the road and
take to tho woods? No. They would
mark the point whore she had left them.
But hor 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 dono; the race could not
last forever; the man behind seemed tc
be gaining, and then the dread Of com.
ing upon Onion campl
She was about to bring her horse to a
stand and jump from her buggy when
tho clatter behind her-Ratigan had
turned slight bond in the road-sound-
cd 80 loud, so near, that instead Of doing
so she gave him n out with the whip.
"There's no time now, Bobby. We
must put greater distance between US
and the Yankee. Get up, Bobbyl Oh,
go onl Why haven't you wings?'
Heavens, what is that ahead2 Tents,
white and ghostly in tho glooml And
how many Of themi The whole field is
coyeredl
Nearer comes the olatter from behind
In front is sleeping regiment, brigade,
perhaps whole division. 1t was not
there yesterday It must be in transit.
Oh, why should it have halted just IN
time to block the way?
"God help mo, must take my
chances and go on"
Sentinels were pacing on their beats
about the camps. In some cases the
beats led along the road, but not across
1t. Right through these chains Of senti-
nels, right into the ..eart of this sleep.
ing multitude of armed mon, dashed
the woman whose only weapons Of dc.
fenso wore Bobby Lee and her antiquat-
ed vehiole.
"Halti"
"Go on, Bob!''
A shot, bullet singing like tun-
ing fork in ears which already sang
loud enough in themselves with excite
ment.
"Turn ont the guardp'
Following Miss Baggs came Corporal
Ratigan, to find tho road in front of
him blocked by half dozen mon with
as many muskets pointed right up in
his faco.
He uttered an involuntary '"Thank
GodP' He must be delayed; the respon-
sibility for the escape of the fugitive
would bo with them. If indeed she were
Miss Baggs, no would regard himself
fortunate at tho delay.
"What's tho matter?" asked ono Of
tho mon.
"Im chasing some one in front.
suspect a telegraph breaker -
"Ahl That's it, is it? Well, 60 on;
wo'vo stopped the wrong person..
Tho corporal regretted that the inter-
viow had boon so brief, tho interruption
so short. Ho had no option but to dash
on. Before the fugitive there stood q man
in the middle Of tho road with q mus.
kot lovoled straight at her, Or rather at
tho coming mass, which he could not
distinguish. Miss Baggs did not SEQ
him till sho got within a dozon feet Of
him and heard:
"aalt, or I'll frol'
Rising in her seat and concentrating
all her strength in one effort, she brought
her whip down Oh the horse's back, at
tho Same timo holding him in the cen-
ter of tho road by tho roins. Tho man
was knocked In ono direction, stunned,
and his musket went flying in the other.
And now eaoh ono Of tho chain Of
sentries through which tho fair dis,
patch stealer's horse dragged hor and
her swaying buggy with a series Of
lunges, hearing shots, tho cries Of
guards, tho olatter Of horses hoofs, the
rattling Of wheels, and soeing some
thing coming through the darkness as
Miss MI Baggs approached, shouted "HaltP'
Turn out tho guardi" "Who comes
thereP" and SCORE Of other similar
cries, to none Of which Miss Baggs paid
any other attention than to fly through
and from them as from the hand of