The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1899-04-04
Continued
CHAPTER Nv.
ACROSS THE THRESHOLD.


man that afternoon in eastern Georgia.
There was more in this side expedition
upon which he had ventured than his
captors suspected He was engaged on
momentous business, but all prospect of
success seemed to have vanished with
his capture
AS the three men moved along the
cotton field toward the mansion of Gen
eral Eldridge, with the mare Fanny fol-
lowing as obediently as well trained
dog, the thought of the prisoner went
to Sam Borland, the scout who had ac-
companied him on his perilous enter
prise. The two had separated, but, as
has been shown, remained in sight of
each other.
What had become of Borland and
what was he doing while his superior
stood in such imminent need of help
He must have heard the sound of firing
and could not fail to know the extrem-
ity of the lieutenant. Why was he idle
or calmly watching his comrade as he
plodded painfully forward with Con-
| federate captor ON either hand2
Borland had no superior as a sharp
shooter in the American army, while
his intrepidity had been complimented
more than once by Fitzpatrick, Slocum
and General Sherman himself. Had it
been otherwise he would not have been
selected as the companion of the New
England officer on this delicately dan
gerous enterprise.
Oakman expected the interference of
The scout, who could readily pick off
one of the captors and thus place him
self on even terms with the other, but
the fragments of cotton bolls slowly
swept to the rear of the trio, and Bor-
land gave no sign.
| When the prisoner looked backward
for the third time, pretending he was
commiserating his mare, the bushy
lwhiskers around the mouth of Jim
Ackers twitched in way that showed
he was grinning. He said, with q
thuckle:
ST allow you won't see him yet
awhile, leftenant.
ys'Whom do you mean2'' asked Oak
4 man, impressed with sudden fear.
''That scout of yourn. He's out the
ring.''
"Dead2'
'.Not exactly, but he was gathered
in before you.
"How did it happenf That's toe
bad was the bitter comment of the
lcaptive.
"I reckon it is from your pint o1
lview, but you didn't think, leftenant
did you, that Tim and me are the only
Johnny rebs in this part of the country
There's more than 20 of us scouting
Through these parts, and, Yank, WI
were waiting for you"
A frightful dread passed through th'
frame of the wounded officer. He fel
his pale face flush under fear that un
til that moment was stranger to him
for the manner and the words of jim
Ackers limited of treachery very near t.
headquarters.
| Was it possible3 If the intimation o
his captor was based on fact, the drea'
that Lieutenant Oakman felt was no
for himself, but for another. The ia.
of that individual might well make tn
: bravest man shudder.
The officer looked appealingly a
Ackers, and the rugged fellow answere
with solemn wink of the eye.
Had not the prisoner been sufferin
acutely from his wound he might hav
felt more hopeful, but it seemed to hir
that the disaster which impended wa
irretrievable With native America
pluck, however, he set his teeth, resol1
ed to brave it through to the end.
Meanwhile it was becoming evideI
r every minute that the wound in h
d arm was more serious than at first SUI
,. posed. There was little bleeding throug
the crude bandage, but the pain an
: partial numbness showed that it neede