The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1898-07-28
THE NATIONAL TR1BUNE wAsHN9TbN c. THURSDAY JULY 49, 1895

1
| While she was speaking O'Neil had run to
a little stream near by and filled his hat with
water to throw in her face to revive her. As
he came back Stock, who had taken less
| interest than the rest in her ladyship's per-
Torrance, called out:
Sergeant, look there There's some
rebel cavalry
| They all looked up and saw dozen horse
men, who had evidently been observing them
for some time and were now riding in such a
direction as would cut them off from camp.
Bronson took long look at them and then
said quietly:
"We've got to fight those fellows!"
"Troth, You niver said a truer thing in the
| world, " said O'Neil cheerfully.
| Bronson pulled from his pocket small
| stick about the size Of lead pencil and care
| fully notched. He held it up before his eye
and then counted the notches that one of the
horsemen filled.
They're just 800 yards away" he said;
''and the mud is so deep their horses can't
move very fast towards us. If we shoot well
we may get rid of enough of them to make
the Eght nearly equal by the time they get
up to us. Let's fire carefully and make
every shot count I'll put my sights up to
500 yards and fire first. You fellows watch
what effect my shot has and then one of you
fire.
"Karl." said O'Neil, "you take charge of
the old Teddy and Josh, but especially the old
Teddy. Lave the foightin' to the rist of us.
Have her lie down behind that log there,
where she'll be out of danger, and Josh lie
down beside her, to shtop any shtray bullets
that moight reach FER from the ither way.
If you see a chance to git back to camp wild 'er,
lave us to take our chances. We may keep
these fellers occupied so that you won't be
noticed by EN-"
O'Neil had seen the wonderful restorative
effect that the presence and likelihood of a
fight had upon the woman. The fmisery -
in her heart had disappeared as suddenly as
it had come. Quivering with terror, she was
standing perfectly upright, watching the
horsemen with dilated eyes. Josh crouched
whmperng by her side Karl led her to
a large fallen tree that looked as if it would
afford security from any bullets coming from
the rebels and she and Josh stretched them
selves as fatty as possible on the ground be-
hind it.
Bronson elevated his sights to 800 yards,
knelt behind stump, rested his gun across
it, took deliberate aim at one of the central
men in the rebel ranks, and fired.
The man aimed at jerbed his head down.
Evidently good shot, but troihe hoigh,"
said O'Neil You try it, Stock"
Stock had already elevated his sights, and
crouching behind log, said:
g Pm goin' fur 10 try fur the shoulder of
that calliker horse over there"
He fired. The fore legs of the gailyspotted
horse seemed to give way; he fell on his
knee, pitching his rider over his head. Puffs
of smoke enveloped the rebels as they fired
back, apparently at the word OF command.
But the buckshot from the double barreled
shotguns fell far short. 1t could be seen
splashng in the water hundreds of yards in
advance of where our friends were standing.
One of the rebels, however, fired a large
bored rife, the bullet from which cut the
twigs of the trees, and sung yiciously through
the air. 20 feet overhead.
go, Lordy," shrieked the woman, as its
savage tang struck her ear, and she jerked
back her head, which curiosity had induced
her to protrude above the log, down again
with such suddenness that her muddy heels
flew up instead.
I" Don't anybody fore till the smoke clears
away" said O'Neil
In another instant the rebels rode forward
out of the smoke at slow walk, loading
their guns as they came.
"You'd better try them at 700 yards, Ser
geant," said Bronson.
"The spalpane on the black horse On the
roight sames to be the commander. OPH
pay me rispicts to him, said O'Neil, adjust
ing his sights, while Bronson stepped aside
to observe the effect of the shot,
HToo low - said Bronson as OiNeipS gun