The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-12-03
az up in reply to the majors cry for


leard the ring of their carbines.
| did not stay to think, but flung
nySelf on the nearest and drove him
Nth all my might against his compan-
ans, setting them all in confusion, and
efore they had recovered from the con-
nsion l had darted into some shrubbery
nat bordered the spot.
Fortunately | knew my way, and made
it top speed for the place where ! had
eft my horse. / had scarcely got away
Shen three shots rang out on the night
.ir, and then the place seemed alive
With men, whose shouts and cries and
shots / heard all about the house and
tables and grounds.
! tore across the lawn like a hunted
hing pausing only a moment to throw
NY coat over my shoulders SO as to
seep off some of the rain that was now
eting down more heavily than ever,
mt thinking / heard them behind me- |
ped on faster than ever.
/ felt myself growing weak now from
oss Of blood and was Keeling badly
when | reached the gate. BY the mercy
# heaven the key was in it, and min
tie later / found my horse and led him
through. / was in the act of mounting
when some one rushed through the gate
ind called my name. 1t was Lota.
II was going to let you out Of the
he'd, when | found you had escaped
Fritz" she said And then / came to
wait here by your horse, Are you
safe"
At that instant the notes of a bugle
rang out calling the men to mount.
MY darling child, you must not stop
here, / cried, pressing my lips to hers
j must nor stay either They know
he road / must take, and in a minute
I shall have the whole gang at my heels
md the country side reused in pursuit
IF me-"
20, it is terrible, it is terrible!" she
sobbed. Take me with you, Fritz.
They viii kill me for this nights work"
MY dearest, / dare not My horse
could not possibly carry us both, and
we should be caught before we had gone
i mile
Forgive me. | know, / know. But
an mad at having brought you to this.
ioodby God bless you, Fritz-husband,
even if | never see you again, she
cried.
1t was agony to leave her, but it
would have been death to have taken
her. | strained her to my heart, and
even as our lips met ! could hear my
pursuers in the distance. My heart was
torn at the pain of leaving her, but there
was no other course.
l clambered into the saddle, bent down
for a last caress and dashed off along
he pitch dark road at top speed, glad
she did not know of my wounds.
If | had not known every step Of my
road / could not have escaped. After
half mile at a mad gallop | put my
horse at the low hedge by the roadside
and struck out a bee line across coun-
try. 1t was heavy going and treacher-
Gus, but it saved a very considerable
distance, and when l emerged on to the
road again / could hear nothing Of the
troopers.
/ let my horse get his wind, therefore,
and waited until / caught sound of the
men again before ! pricked forward
once more at the gallop. / knew or
another point where / could take a short
cut; but this time / was delayed by the
very heavy going, and when | reached
the road again | found the men close
behind me.
A loud shout soon told me they had
heard the sound of my horses hoofs,
and moment later they commenced
desultory dropping fire with their car
bines.
l began now to despair. / was near
ing village where | had come across Il
scouting party on my way out, while
my horse was beginning to feel the eff
fects Of the big effort he had to make.
But | set my teeth, drove my heels
into his willing sides and resolved to
hold on till he dropped or one of their
chance bullets should hit me, en-
couraged him with words and caresses
as well as the spur, and he seemed TO
feel the danger as much as /.
AS / clattered into the village | looked
eagerly ahead and around, and to my
infinite relief there was not a sign of the
scouting party, but my pursuers were
closing up behind me, while the shouts
they sent up brought the few people
who were still out of their beds running
to doors and windows to watch tue
strange race.
/ had only two miles further to ride
now, but as / left the village street and
Splashed on between the hedgerows
again, my heart sank suddenly.
The rain had stopped and the sky lifted
a bit, and at the top of a short, easy
slope l saw drawn up across the road,
their figures blackly silhouetted against
the sky line, a Gordon Of horsemen.
Lit was all over. | was caught between
the two parties. drew rein, pulling my
faithful beast almost to his launches,
and glanced desperately at the tail
hedges ON either side to see if | could
possibly leap them. They were hope
less. Had my horse been fresh and my
self unwounded, / could not have dashed
through them But my one forIorn
chance now was to make the attempt
I backed my horse to one side and was
about to dig the rowels into him and
urge him to an effort, when my heart
gave Il leap of joy.
''Who goes there"
The challenge was in German, and in
less time than it takes to tell, / was
among my own men, safe, though al
most fainting from fatigue and loss of
blood.
My pursuers heard the challenge, too,
drew rein and then retreated.
| had fallen in with a scouting party
of my own corps in the nick of time,
and they took me back to camp, where
the story of Won Masson's treachery