The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1899-12-01
PERILs OF A NIGHT.

PER1LS OF A NIGHT,
Emerging from the wood through
which | had fed from the confed-
crate bivouac, jumped a rail fence
and stood in a cornfeld. l could not
be more than dozen miles from the
plantation, and, believing the general
had returned to his headquarters, re-
solved to go there. The difficulty was to
find the way. Fortunately, the night
was clear and l could see the stars. |
knew the north star, and to the south
west recognized hill with crest of
trees which doomed against the horizon
and which was quite sure lay near the
plantation. Knowing something of the
direction from my starry compass, l
felt confident that by making the hill
my objective point | would not go far
amiss.
After making these observations,
which did not occupy a tenth of the
time | have taken to mention them,
dashed across the field. had gone but
short distance, when, glancing aside,
| saw figure getting over the fence
which inclosed the field on the north.
stopped, as much from paralysis of
terror as from a wish to know whom
would have to encounter. The figure
dropped to the ground and made
straight toward me. AS it approached
was relieved TO see that it was a wom-
an, and delighted when | recognized
Margaret Beach
Am | missed?"
"Yes. Quick!"
BY consenting impulse we both made
for low growth of timber not hun
bred yards below. | asked no eX-
| PLANTATION as to what had happened, but
knew long after that my passage
through the bushes had been heard,
md while the guards were discussing
the matter and counting the prisoners
Margaret had slipped away. What was
now most important was hiding-place,
and we lost no time in reaching the
| edge of a creek. | looked about for
some place of concealment; my eyes
fell on a dark corner in a bend of the
creek, where some driftwood was
heaped against log lying partly on the
bank and partly in the water. | mo-
log. and bounded after her. Then
pulled the drift-wood so as to cover
us, and waited.
Oh, the excitement of those few min
utes! My heart thumped against my
breast, | trembled all over, and IL was
almost impossible for me TO keep from
throwing off our covering of wood and
1, n,.I In INN leo
got the better of me, and ! started to
rise, but Margaret held me down, |
had no further opportunity, for In an
other moment there was sound OF
boots among the stubble of the corn
field, and some men jumped the fence
on the hither side. One dashed into
the creek, across it, and hurried away
on the farther bank. Another crossed
lower down. Two more came to the
bank and paused.
Reckon he's som'r's bout hyar,"
TOO near. He'd likely go further
'thout stoppin'."
Don know bout that. This tim
ber's good place 70 hidin'. I'm goin'
ter look hyar; you go on if y like; l
want ter see what's behind that log
afo' GO"
He descended to the creek, advanced
in the rocky bed, came to the end of
the log that lay in the water, and, bal
ancing himself by extending his arms,
assembled the incline. The disadvan-
tage of his position appeared to me like
flash. Placing my hands on the log,
vaulted onto it, and, before the man
could recover from his surprise, clasped
him round the chest under his extended
arms. We went down together, he on
his back, | on top of him, into shallow
water. His skull struck the solid rock,
and he lay motionless. ! got up unhurt.
Climbing the log looked down into our
hidng-place. There lay Margaret in a
dead faint Scooping some water from
the creek into my hands, l threw it in
her face. 1t revived her and in a few
minutes she was up
"Come! QuiclS!" l seized her by the
hand, and dragged her out and away.
She cast glance at the man lying in
the creek, and shuddered. We climbed
the opposite bank and stood on the edge
of the timber. There were only two
men in sight; they were pushing on to-
gether without looking back. Not far
in advance of where we stood, in the
center of an open field was haycock.
1t was the first and only place of ref
uge | could see, and | had no time TO
waste. Dragging Margaret after me,
we staggered across the field. keeping