The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1899-05-09
CONTINUED
CHAPTER nj.
A HALT AT THE ROADSIDE.

ed his pace and looked back The color
ed man. leading the horse. was Just fad.
ing from view in the moonlight
''He's right am Il fool. but |
wouldn t accept any favcr from her. if
MY life depended on it.
For man travcrsing q highway for
the first time, the Union officer revealed
knowledge which. to say the least. was
singular A half mile from the planta.
tion of General ElCridge he came to n
forking of the ways
81 am to turn to the right. he re.
flcctcd. scanning his surroundings. land
less than mile farther will find the
house where | am to halt and await
orders-that is. if everything goes
right "
Broad. open fields stretched Oh the
right and left AT intervals the old
roomy mansions of the planters appear.
ed. all standing we'll back from the
roadway and surrounded by shade trees
with the negro quarters near at hand
Now and then the starlikc point of light
twlnkllng among the shadows showed
that some ono was astir despite the
latent.- Of the hour, but RS yet tho
fugitive had not seen living person
after leaving Pete, tho slave
But standing ut the parting of the
ways pccring about and listening, he
heard a startling sound 1t was tho
rhythmic beating Of horses hoofs on
the earth 1t came from the rear and
steadily grew more distinct. proving
that party Of horscmen were in pur.
suit of him.
'Ihey are, the men who had plotted
10 visit tho home of General Eldridyc
and to give me the 'witch's parole.
Captain Trenholm might have tried to
prevent it, but it would have availed
nothing. Even if he did try probably il
would have been all prctrnSr " bitterly
added the lieutenant "lluw could
laugh at these fellows if | was in the
saddle Of that horse which Pete offered
me. And yet if he were here would
still refuse.
Unqucstionahly the young man was
In an unreasonable mood and gave an.
other proof of the Justice of the opinion
expressed by the slave
Lieutenant Oakman felt he had done
the mcanest act of his life in scnding
that message to Miss Ellridgc. She had
made an honest effort to bcfricnd him
after the tender ministration of herself
and mother. and he had repealed it with
insulting words instead of acccp,inp
the proifcr with his profoundcSt graft.
tude.
Why9
Through fear that she might "offcnd
Captain Trenholm, rs he expressed it.
Heavens, if she only would offend him
beyond the possibility of pardon how
the heart of the fugitive would lean
with joy
But perhaps ho did not comprehend
the mysteries Of his own heart When
worthy man has said or done an un,
worthy thing. his desperation urges
MN to go to further lengths. which
1ac' WIZ account for Lieutenant Oak
man absurd but characteristic homo
that he might have second opportuni
ty TO turn '"ido more pointcdly than
before tho brntlo hand helpingly OK
tended to him.
but the hoof beats increased in dis
tinctness. Tho men were approaching
Mt sweeping gallop over the main
highway. If they followed stho same
course with him. he must sodn be over
taken. While there were no woods ON
either side of the road. no was confident
or escaping detection by climbing the
rail fenco and lying fiat on the ground,
provided he adopted the stratagcm bo.
fore being observed by his pursucrs
Prudence demanded that ho should
90 this Mt once. but he was too impa.
tlent to throw away any time He in.
creased his pace. continually listening
and often pausing to glance to the
rear.
When tho sounds indicated that the
horsemen were close to tho fork of the
road, Oakman vaultcd over the fence
ana stood in the attitude of intense Mt.
tentlCn The ground was dry for the
season, and in the stiffness tho hoofs
rang out with unusual Gle ,rncss. There
were several moments when ho was GER
tain the party had turned to the right
ana would soon pass tho spot Before
secreting himself ho meant to wait un-
I'll no could SEQ tho foremost horscmen
But they did not appear. and tho 70.
ceolng sounds proved that they had rid
den past the fork and were galloping
up tho main highway with unabntcd
speed.
"How long will thoy keep at ?" he
asked himself; climbing back into the
road III don't see how they can expect
to capture mo when they must know I
am sure to discover their approoch
Perhaps they mean to get in front,
raise hue and cry. and by rousing the
country head me of. "
Lieutenant Oakman's danger was
real, and he know it. He had nothing
to fear from the regular Confederate
forces, for he was in uniform and car
r1ed with him the proof that he was s
regularly exchanged prisoner, entitled
TO safe conduct through tho enemy's
lines. But there were hoyering on the
outskirts Of tho Union and Confederat,
armies tAoops Of irregular cavalry. tech
niealiy known as guerrillas. who dis
regarded the laws of civilized warfare
Tho reproach of tho existence of such
men belongs in greater or less decree
to both sides during the war.
The belief Of Lieutenant Oakman was
that party Of these free ridors bod