The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1899-05-12
lCoNTlNuEp.l
CIlAp'rliR XIII.
A BREAK For LIBERTY.


cr, was the cutting comment Of Miss
Hartman. hut the woman addressed
gavu no answer She and her sister,
who seemed equality affected. hut in
better control of her nerves. moved to-
ward the door leading into the hall
Their action suggested to the other
woman the pr"pri"ty nf all withdraw.
ing for II brief while, and they passed
out of the ruum into the wide hall
Lieutenant Oaklnan. without anv
evidence of emotion except n slight
ralinE Of his cuuntrnanrr. said to tho
leader of the party
'Scnrch me if you chomr shall
offer no resistance,
''lt makes little differences whether
you do or not. Ermly replied tho Com
frdrrntr who without ceremony began
the work. which WAS simple in its ma
tlrc
From th" iun"r pocket of the prison.
Crs coat hr drew forth several letters
and folded documents. rhry inrludrd
two missivcs from his muihrr another
from an army friend with General
Grant in Virginia. and that wna nll
Every other part Of hia Clothing wal
boots. which he waH compelled To- draw
oil. ThCr" wnA nothing cuntrahand in
them. and the heels ct his hnuts. which
were tapped and rxaminrd. gave cvi-
dcncc of being solid and devoid uf any
secret rrrCptnvlrs or course his rrvoly-
rr was rnutisratrd
II would have ENn" i'll with the lieu.
tenant had that document which hr re-.
rcivrd from the hands uf Mrs Brnwarr
been found, hut. strange a$ il NAV
seem. it had vanished. the thorough
search OF his captNrs makin& i, impnsSi.
hlc for it tn remain hidden about his
person.
t would appear that. the search nf the
rr,s"n"r having resulted rs stated. his
peril hnd disappeared. Such wNuld have
hrrn the fact had he boon in the custody
Of II company OF regular tunfrdrratrs
but, unfortunately. these men were ir-
regulars known as Wilkins cavalry.
who did not consider themselves bound
hy the uS;l%cS of civilized warfare
"Wcll. lank. roolly remarked the
leader. "yNu Seem to hr what yuu claim.
and Miss Hartman says that this letter
\handing it lack to himl wns written
hy Captain Trrnholm. hut ii hnplNns
that th" CAPTAIN doesn't command our
company
81 do not see what that has to do
with my case, replied the lieutenant.
who. nevertheless, WAS quite certain of
the drift OF the words.
"Nou'll hr likely to see pretty soon.
was the significant remark ot the lead.
er. "ThoSo aro not the times ~ show
much cNusldcratlou t. the like Ot vou
III own that the question isn't clear in
my mind. l. have to tAlN II over with
the hoys WhiIn ware ,lriu.: <n. vou
can withdraw. STAY >y,th tua vrllrn
n" doubt they Il nut Your cumYauy
agreeable Mll - along and keep an
eye ON him Ill the time, remembering;
that. u IL, y any wCarNnS except
his sword, tn" fact WON'T hinder him
from running, il he gets the chance.
Tho soldier addressed ~ 'Bill'' MO.
toned to Oakmnn to follow him into
the hall. The prisoner did So. the two
joining tn" three women, who were
seated near the stand or tnhlo upon
which was the caudlr. with their arms
folded, grim. silent and waiting. Thrv
turned their ~" toward the couple. hut
not word WAS spoken 10y any one
All tn" chairs were occupied, and the
men kept their feet. Bill wished tu fol-
low the debate that was going ON in the
next room and placed himself near the
door that he might catch the words
spoken, an easy thing to do. since there
was little or no attempt at secrecy bv
the others
il, I a.,
ca Tor onEman to take his place in
front, that he might observe his every
movement, the guard meanwhile keep
ing his hand on the revolver at his hin
Less than five minutes later Il scream
rang out from Miss Hartman, and the
startled company in the adjoining room
d",n, ! INTO the hall to learn its cause
She was in ncr chair. gasping and strug-
CLING, with frighttul attack of hvs-
tcrics; Mrs. Bcnware and her sister. as
white ns death. sat silent. upright and
eFlocntlN on the point of SwONning:
Blll, the cavalryman. was stretched on
his back. to all appearances rs dead rs
dead could be- The open front door left
no doubt whittier the prisoner had gone.
and with fierce imprccations the raiders
streamcd outside and made for their
horses
Not minute was to be lost, for in
the vivid moonlight he was seen in the
act OF swinging himaclf Into the saddle
OF one of the animals that had been
tied ut the side of the lane. fully alive
to the fact that his life depended upon
using every second at his command
Not doubting what the verdict of the
men would be. Lieutenant Oakman,
while in the hall with his iailcr dctc~.
mined to discount it, The fact that bis
guard did not suspect any such wild
purpose increased the chances Of the
officer. Without his motive being dis.
trusted by the man whose attention
was centcrod upon tho discussion in the
adjoining room the lieutenant stcppcd
up near him. The next instant he was
throttled with such lightninglilse
quickncss that he sank to tho floor and
collapsed without being able to make
an outcry.
Lieutenant Oakman would have
BtranglC0 the life ont of him, o,;tb,,,t