The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1898-12-21
TALE,
JOSEPH A.ALTSHELER..


pews hastily thrown together, made good
breastwork, and standing behind it FIem-
ing and his men waited to see what the
enemy would do.
The hostile leader waited, too, perhaps
with the same purpose, and again the
building was silent The fallen wall was
burning finely and the light from it now
shone through the window with a steady
radiance and drove the dusk from the
room.
Fleming listened intently and heard
nothing from without. The battle. save
for his own part in it, seemed to have end
ed or to have gone far away. The snow.
driven against the window panes, cleaned
red in the light of the flames, and the
wind increased in violence. All this was
but the affair Of moment, and then
Fleming turned the full attention of eve
and ear to his enemy. That the two little
bands had been left to fight their battle
alone was no inducement to him to draw
away from the conflict rather it increased
his desire TO triumph, for the field was now
wholly his oWA. Evans whispered to him
that they must rush the rebels, and Elem
ing, nodding his head, gave a quick COM
mand to the men, who leaped over the
hasty fertilization that they no longer de-
sired and rushed upon their enemies, the
lieutenants, as always, at their head.
Fleming knew that it was a bold plan
allied to rashness, but he trusted that sue
cess would come from it's suddenness and
that he would be upon his antagonists be-
fore they could recover from their surprise
and shoot down his men. A few swift
steps took him across thu room. He was
filled with a fierce exultation, for he be-
Lleyed that he was about to triumph, but
even in the wild rush of the moment and
With mind concentrated upon the i'm
pending struggle, he observed the room
again, the rows OF wooden benches, the
aIsleS, the pulpit at the far end, the stair
way that led to the second floor, and the
light through the window faring redly
over everything. Then tho wild rush car
ried his little band upon the enemy, and,
as he had hoped, the surprise of the sud
den movement made it's success.
A few scattering shots that went wild
were fired at them, and then they were over
the benches and in the midst of the trium-
plant combat Fleming was burning with
the battle fever and again he began to
shout to his men and utter oaths Of which
he was unconscious, striking with his
sword and calling at times upon his an
tagOnists to yield.
He found that he was opposed by SOL
diers as valiant as his own Beaten by
numbers, those who were not wounded or
taken by force refused to surrender, and
wheeling about as il by sign from their
leader rushed up the stairway, which be-
gan almost at their feet, and sought refuge
and a second defense on the next floor.
Disappointment now mingled with
Fleming's anger, but neither emotion
caused him to forget for the moment his
military prudence. Hastily dispatching q
few of his men to keep watch at the win
dows outside and prevent Escape there, he
sprang up the stairway with the others in
quick pursuit of the fugitives. Rage and
excitement blinded him to the danger of
shots from above, and Evans, as eager as
himself. pressed on by his side, while the
men crowded close after, the wooden stair
way giving dull echo under their foot
steps
The light from the flames of the burn
ing village did not reach the second floor,
and Fleming stood for moment or two
trying to accustom his eyes to the dusk
AS the pupils distended he saw the last Of
the fugitives disappearing in small room,
and then he heard the slamming of the
door and noises which indicated prepare
tions for defense. A little gray haired
man in civilians attire and with face of
fright sprang from dark corner where he
had been crouching and darted to win
dow, at which he pulled vainly with trem-
bling fingers as if he would open it and
spring out.
Fleming looked quickly about that he
might seize the salient points of this last
battlefield. He paid no attention to the
civilian, supposing him to be the sexton
or some one else in charge of the building
who had hidden there in fright while the
fight was going on below. As his men
paused with him to await his orders he
felt for sudden moment the solemn still
ness of the place and its character, but the
silence was quickly interrupted by beat
ing on the door of the room in which the
fugitives had taken refuge, and he knew
that they were breaking loopholes for their
rifles. At the sound his passion, which
had died for an Instant famed up again,
and he hastily drew his men to far~cor-
ner where the rife barrels, even when
thrust through the holes in the door, could
not secure their range. Then while he
whispered with Evans and the two tried
to decide what would be best to do in the
doubtful situation the curious silence
which had in it so much that was solemn
and impressive fell again over the place.
The defenders had broken the holes In
the door and were metionless and silent,
awaiting the advance Of their assailantss
who still stood in their corner hesitating.