Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1899-05-11

With my temper Inflamed = ba-es- - fol
the man vae crossed me. with mr pulses
slow and even, it went against my grain to
spill human blood, especially that OF one
doing his duty, and this fact alone would
have made me poor soldier Tor the ranks.
Now | unshippcd my sword, drew my
cloak about me, and walked on as openly as
though | was an officer Of grand rounds"
II was miserable going. ia the darkness |
seemed 10 find and stub every stone and
shoot into az many brambles as might be
discovered in a ten-acre wood lot passed
unchallenged through the shallow ravine.
and was wondering if by ehanee | had al
ready cleared the lines, when the works OF
an advanced redoubt rose against the dim
sky and at the same instant there came the
ring of a musket and a voice called Halt!
" hos there
4 was not my plan to halt, or answer
either, for that matter. | had located the
voice 70 tie right, but could see no one. and
was fairig sure that only the noise Of my
progress had been marked, and not myself.
Therefore ! swung toward the left and hur-
RED along as rapidly and silently as I could,
soon having the pleasure Of hearing the SEN
tnel stumble across my trail some distance
III the rear.
had now the redoubt to flank. and, as the
7
as on either Side, there was an open space for
me to traverse. Here lowered my dignity
By getting on to aIi-fours, and, holding my
blade betwixt my teeth, | crept slowly on
ward, taking advantage OF every stump and
fallen tree as post 10 halt and listen. But
these latter were none too frequent, and |
used at least an hour in getting the few
hundred feet which lay between the works
aud the abatis protecting them. Having
gained the abatis ! rose and felt my way
through the tangled branches Of the felled
timber, making a deal of noise | thought,
but finally got past and into the woods be-
yond. These woods proved to be but strip,
and narrow one at that, for | soon came to
a road which served me only in showing my
location, as | knew OF one crossing from the
Kingshridge road to another leading to the
village Of Greenwich
| was well satisfied with myself and my
progrsss, considering that the worst was
passed. but my pride underwent a sudden
fall when, as 1 was putting my leg over the
snake fence, voice came out OF the dark
ness.
Halt! Who goes there?"
Il friend but without countersign.
Where are you?" / returned, easily, though
l made a mighty start.
Then stay where you be, or | fire.
Very good Come to me-" | answered,
swinging myself back and retreating to a
tree near by, and from that to another.
1t gave me infinite relief to hear the
tramp of a horse, and know the man was
mounted vidette, and in the course of few
seconds he went by me to where | had an
swered him, though by then | had retreated
along the line of the road and was 40 feet
away. Hating his horse, he again chal-
araSx
pistol into the woods and began curs-ng like
pirate.
| knew there would be trouble now, and,
indeed, the echo Of the shot had scarce died
away when | heard galloping coming from
either direction as his fellows fastened to
ioin him 1t would not do for me to iinger
in the vicinity, so l leaped the fence and
crossed the highway above him. ganiI the
opposite timber Just before another morse
man swept by toward the point of alarm.
At this juncture / thanked my stars for
three things: First, for the wet and black
ness Of the night; second, that the lines /
had run were the third or inner lines, COM
paratively lily guarded and but malt
manned, established to be used only in case
of the fall Of the outer defenses; and, third,
that nv present destination lay not beyond
the next obstruction. l never would have
dared attempt the passage of the barrier
gates as they were called, a strong and
continuous work across the neck of land be
low Fort Washington; and even had this
been possible, the outpost of the British
army at Kingsbridge would have foored
anything without a pass or wings. There,
in the face of the army Of Washington, now
but a fev miles distant, it would have be-
come almost matter of creeping betwiSt
the legs OF the sentinels.
was not possessed with great curiosity
regarding the outcome of the trouble had
raised on the road. and got myself away from
its locality as rapidly as was consistent with
rough ground thicIIy growing trees and
underbrush and pitchy darkness. felt was
safe at last, safe from immediate disaster,
and then awoke TO the fact that, save from
being warm instead of cold, was in about as
miserable position as any man unhurt and
shaking. 4 free foot could well be, had eat