Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1896-04-30

horse stopped al oHcc' - y
the lieutenant had ridden the sentry
down.
Then from the right side OF the roae
n party. who must have been lying
around the campfire that we plainly
saw in among the pines, let fly at us
They had surely been surprised IN
their sleep. clearly saw them as the'l
guns flashed. ).
"Forward Don't shoot! Ride on!
shouted Miller" Bushwhackers! Thank
God, not mounted! Any OF you make
out horses with them?"
"No, sir! No, sir!"
"Who yelled? Who went DOWN."
"Kennedy, sir" cried.
"Too bad! Anyone else?"
"No, sir"
"All safe?"
"Tm touched in my right arm; but
| It's nothing" said. The twinge was
slight, and in the fleshy place in front
Of my shoulder. l could not make OUT
that i was losing blood, and the pain
was scarcely perceptible.
"Good boyl Keep up, Adaml" called
the lieutenant, with a kind tone. l
remember my delight that he spoke my
front name. On we flew.
Possibly the shots had been heard
by the party half mile further on,
for they greeted us with volley. A
horse coughed hard and pitched down
behind me- His rider yelled as he fell.
Then two more shots came; Crowfoct
reeled in front of me, and somehow
checked his horse. / saw him no more.
Next moment we were upon the ground
with our pistols.
Forward, men! Don't stop to fight"
roared Miller, as he got clear. A rifle
was heard so close to my head that the
fame burned my back hair, and my
ears burned for half an hour or more.
Ny bay leaped high and dashed down
man. In few seconds | was fairly
out Of the scrimmage.
How many Of my comrades had gone
down / knew not, nor beside whom /
was riding. Suddenly our horses
plunged into hole; his stumbled, the
man pitched forward and was left be-
hind. Then heard shot, the clatter
of another falling horse. the angry yell
Of another thrown rider.
On we went--the relics of us. Now
we rushed out Of the pine forest into
broad moonlight, and saw two riders
between me and the lieutenant-one
man almost at my shoulder and another
galloping ten yards behind.
Bader and Absalom Gray were near
est me. Neither spoke a word until
we struck upon a space of sandy road.
Then ! could hear. far behind the rear
man, sound of galloping on the hard
highway.
They're after us. lieutenant" shout
ed Bader.
"Many?" He Stacked speed and we
listened.
"Only one!" cried Miller. Hes
coming fast"
The pursuer gained SO rapidly that
we looked to our pistols again. Then
Absalom Gray cried:
Its only a horse."
In few moments the great gray
Of fallen Corporal Crowfoot overlook
US, went ahead, and Stacked speed by
the lieutenant
"Good! He'll be fresh when the rest
90 down." shouted Miller. let the
last man mount the gray!"
Suddenly the hoofs of Crowfoot's
gray and the lieutenant's bay thun-
1ered upon a plank road whose hollow
ooise, when we all reached ii. should
have been heard afar. 1t took us
through wide orchard lands into a low
wing mist by the banks of great
marsh, till we passed through that
log, strobe heavily up slope, and saw
he simmer of roofs under the moon.
Straight through the main street we
pounded along.
Whether it was wholly deserted I |
,now not, but not a human being was
n the streets, nor any face visible at |
he black windows. Not even a dog
parked. noticed no living thing ex-
,ept some turkeys roosting on fence
md white cat that sprang upon the
pillar Of gateway and thence to q
rec.
Out of the village we went off the
blanks. again upon sand. I began to
suspect that ! was losing great deal
Il blood. My brain was on fire with
thoughts and wonder where
III was to end. Out of this daze came,
n amazement, to find that we were
quickly overtaking our lieutenant's
Had he been hit in the
ray and bled to weakness? / only
snow that, still galloping while we
aimed, the famous horse lurched for
ward, almost turned somersault, and
ell on his rider. "Stop-the paper!"
houted Bader.
We drew rein, turned, dismounted,
nd found Miller's left ler under the
zig bays shoulder. The horse was
ute dead, the riders long hair lay
n the sand; his face was white under
he moon!
We stopped long enough to extricate
i'm, and he came to his senses just as
We made out that his left leg was