The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1896-03-20

ed number of his men, but we also
had lost many. One morning our
captain ordered US into the saddle
for what was intended to be a three
days scout up into q part of the
hills we had not visited before. An
old negro had come into the camp
with a story that the chief of the
bushwhacksrs was wounded and was
in cave guarded by only few men.
We rode away in high spirits, hoping
that at last our work was to bear
fruit. Of course we found out later
that the story was only creation of
the darky's brain. The chief was
much nearer than we supposed.
"That night, Def ore going into
camp, we passed a large stone house
some distance back from the road and
at the foot of a hill. Darkness was
coming on as we went into camp and
posted our pickets. After our sup
per was cooked and eaten, while the
men sitting around the little fires
they had built, one of the sergeants
who had been a ehum of mine before
we went into the army, daring fell
low, always ready for any adventure,
came to me and said
Lieutenant, how would it strike
you to 60 back to that stone house we
just passed and get square meal I?
| saw some woman there as we came
by, and by using a little money we
could probably get them to cook for
u.s.
"The plan suited me exactly, and
carrying only our revolvers, we slip
ped past the guards and made our
way unobserved toward the house
which was about three-quarters of a
mile distant. Some dogs came out
as we approached, but we drove them
back and knocked at the door. After
some delay we were admitted to the
house by frightened woman who
said she would try to find something
to eat. We waited while she and
another woman prepared our supper.
1t seemed to me that / had never
heard two women make as much
noise in a kitchen as they did. Fin
ally the supper was ready and we sat
down to the table with sharp appe-
tites. L was just taking the second
bite from large piece of bread and
butter when looked up at my COM
rade. Never before had | seen such
an expression on his face. 1t caused
me to turn in my chair and look be-
hind me. L gazed straight into the
barrel of big revolver in the hands
of one whom L knew at once from the
descriptions L had heard, to be none
other than the chief for whom we had
been looking. We had found him.
Another member of the outfit had the
drop on the sergeant and the door
way behind us, was filled with men.
AS there was nothing else to do we
put up our hands.
"They did not permit us to finish
our supper, but disarmed us and
stripped us of our Jackets and boots,
and after tying our hands, they went
into the other room and left us with
two guards. They held some kind of
council, and at first did not know
what to do with us-for it was some
time before they came out again. The
chief then ordered us to come with
him, and accompanied by the whole
party we left the house. They took
us up pathway that led along the
hillside, and in short time we came
to a large excavation, where the rock
had evidently been quarried for the
house. The moon had risen ny this
time and everything showed distinct
ly in its light.
"Our captOrs led us down into the
pit. Three sides of it rose abruptly;
one side, in the full light of the moon,
shown clear and white against the
dark background of the hill. Up to
this time L had supposed that we
were to be imprisoned in some secret
cave of the gang, but the fearful truth
came to me when the chief turned to
us and said: "If you fellows have any
prayers to say, you had better be
quick about it, for am going to stick
you up against that wall over there
pretty quick"
sit seems to me as if my heart must
have stopped beating. 1 glanced at
the sergeant. He had paled but he
turned to the chief aud gave him a
look such as only brave man could
in the face of death. 1t seemed to me
then that must be some other man
who had gotten into a dangerous pos
ition, for 1 could not realize that was
to be placed there against that wall
shining so white, and shot down.
Death as became a soldier l had not
feared, but this was murder. 1 could |
10 70