Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1896-01-31

most Unexpectedly, for they had
no idea that they were so near the
fort. They seemed to have been
waiting for them. for thpir retreat
back was cut OF Dy half the band,
while the rest kept mp a fire on
them from ambush. They maDdged
to get out of 1t without the loss of
any men, however. A hot fire
had been kept up on both sides
while the retreat lastel and seve.
ral on Our side had been wounded,
and, as some OF the men insisted,
the Indians had lost quite few to
the happy hunting grounds. They
at last gave up the chase when
the storm set in. The mysterious
private was missed when the troop
emerged from a strip of woods
about twenty miles from the fort.
He was wounded during thu
fight and had evidently gwen mp
the fight from exhaustion. While
the men were telling this, we stood
about and wondered what wOnld
be done to find the poor fellow,
who had undoubtedly passed INTO
another world.
"The storm had again commenc.
ed with see mlngy added fury,
and we realized what a dangerous
undertaking it wonld be iorant one
to set out with the intention of
finding the poor fellows body. We
retired to our quarters, after hear
ing no end OF narrow escape stories
from some of the privates, to await
orders from the cOmmAndant as to
the next move.
awe had all given up the idea
of going after the body by nightfAll
-th t is All hut one. Before my
time for arising the next morning.
there came 10 ny ears the lOndest
cheerin,, NIKE with shOnts. that
ever heard in al my lifetime. !
hastily dropped into NY clothes.
and ran tn see what wa mp. \e"'
the gate saw almost rhe ertnr
population of the fort, 80 II seemed
to me, most o. them engagei Ia
che ring aud s'nutiug Ovrr some
tLiny. Before | reached the crowd
it parted, aud two PERSONS rode 10
ward mr-fhe 'm, StrriOns prlva'r'
and G-neyirv" Hntle. AS she pass
ed me-, stan ling almost G ued to
the spot with surprise, she cdll.d
out pleasant mornlug, naJnr, JAS
AS though she had eoue in from #
mornings pleasure ride.
"ThAt glll had actually riddle
out O! rhe fort at dawn 10 find that
vonug scamp, who did not seen
to he hurt at all-save for ie"
scratches such AZ the rest Of the
troop received. She dad met him.
fortunately, lidlug toward the fort.
or God knows what might have
become of that brave girl III thr
snow. 1t surprised me a little,
perhaps, to spe her so harp, after
such dangerous undertaking.
But that was, of cOnrse, natural
then, as 1 did not know what pass
d between them during that ride.
"Dunng the absence of the
young fellow one of his comrades
had cheek enough to examine hi
effects-to fiud out who lie was and
notify his relatives of his death, 80
he said, but, as l believe, to see
what the deuce it was that kept
him so busy during the evenings.
But the big stories the man ex
peeted TO tell of what he found
are still untold, for he fund only
a lot books, principally law hooks
newspaper clippings Of testimony
in trials. and a lot OF Otner useless
trash. as he expressed himself.
What the deuce the fellow was do
ing with these was more than he
could imagine. Then great light
burst upon me. Imagine private
/ 10 the service OF Uncle SIm giving
up all tue pleasures OF army ser
vice-very few there are-t"r be
sake of studying law, aud yon h4v'
view of our mysterious prlvatr,
W tn the mystery cleared up.
"Well, as YOU have perhaps al
ready guessed, they both left uS +"
few months later. Tne young l. :.
lows enlistment expired AMI /
guess be was pretty well tired O1
army life. He went to New YORK,
believe, taking the belle OF the
fort with him. have strong red-
sons to believe that this was settled
during that ride into the fort L
heard OF him once since then. Que
of his friends at the fort said he
had quito law practice down
east here.