Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1899-09-13

ne Obner sue.
AS night came on bleak wind arose
nd I kept close to the campfire in the
enter of our prison square. The senti-
els were watchful, and gave up any
ope may have had of an early at
elnpt to get away, and, turning my
ack to the blaze, fell asleep. awoke
With the consciousness that some one
vas looking at me. Sitting up, l rubbed
ny eyes. The fire was nearly out, the
entries lounging on their posts, only
ne Of them pacing his beat. called
o him and asked what time of night
was.
'Wall, Yank, reckon It's about time
o. that relief to turn out, m that's at
EN- er tharabout."
I was about to lie down again, when
he same feeling came over me that
was with me when j woke. Some one
was surely looking at me. CHANGING
lnder one of the wagons, peering into
the darkness, saw what at first was
little more than two eyes; then / made
put the face of woman. She was
lying fiat on the ground, her head raised
80 that she could look at me. At last
l recognized Margaret Beach. She sig
nailed to me, putting her fingers to her
lips, warning me not to attract the at
tention of the guard. 1t was plain that
she wished to assist me to escape. l
shook my head, giving her at the same
time glance Of contempt, but she
and was SO anxious to
regain my liberty that at last I felt
willing-I admit 1t with blushAto
accept assistance from one who, if true
to me, was certainly a menace to the
union cause. intimated by q look that
1 would act with her, and she at once
disappeared from under the wagon.
I wondered what she would do. ]
had not long to wait, for in a few min
utes heard one of the sentries give the
customary challenge: "Who comes
there2" Then l saw by the freight
Margaret approaching the guard. What
she said I could not hear, but saw that
she was talking to him earnestly. The
two other sentries left their beats and
Vent 70 hear what she was saying.
judged that she was inventing story
Of some threatened danger. She stood
outside the guard-line, thus contriving
10 place the listening sentinels so that
their backs were turned toward theil
prisoners. The fire was fortunately
low, though one brand persisted IN
burning brightly. Selling it, smoth
erd IL in the ashes; then, while tn,
sentries' faces were turned from me,
rolled toward the nearest wagon, main
tanning my rigidity like mummy
blown by the wind. Half the distance
was accomplished when one of the nne1
turned to go to his beat. to reach which
hs must come directly toward me. Mar
gsrst quickly called him back. Making
. few rapid turns, rolled under tn,
wagon, then got up and ran like deer
VIII.
PERILS OF A NIGHT.
Emerging from the wood through
which had fled from the confed
crate bivouac, jumped a rail fenc.
and stood in cornfield. I could MOI
be more than a dozen miles from thu
plantation, and, believing the genera
had returned to his headquarters, I re
solved to go there. The difficulty was t
find the way. Fortunately, the nigh
was clear and I could see the stars.
knew the north star, and to the south
west recognized hill with a crest O.
trees which doomed against the horizon
and which / was quite sure lay near tn,
plantation. Knowing something Of tn
direction from my starry compass,
felt confident that by making the hill
my objective point would not go fa,
amiss.
After making these observations
which did not occupy q tenth Of tn
time I have taken to mention them,
dashed across the field. had gone blu
a short distance, when, glancing aside
1 saw figure getting over the fenc
which inclosed the field on the north.
stopped, as much from paralysis Q
terror as from wish to know whom
would have to encounter. The fgur
dropped to the ground and mad
straight toward me. AS 1t approache
was relieved to see that it was won
On, and delighted when I recognize
Margaret Beach.
"Am I missed?"
Eyes. Quicks
BY consenting impulse we both mad
for low growth of timber not a huI
bred yards below. I asked no ea
PLANTATION as to what had happened, bu
knew long after that my passag
through the bushes had been heart
and while the guards were discussin
the matter and counting the prisoner
Margaret had slipped away. What wa
now most important was ahiding-plac'
and we lost no time in reaching th
edge of creek. looked about fo
some place of concealment; my eye
fell on dark corner in bend Of th
creek, where some driftwood wa
heaped against log lying partly on th
bank and partly in the water. I mt
toned to Margaret to get behind th
log, and bounded after her. Then
pulled the drift-wood so as to cove
us, and waited.
Oh, the excitement Of those few mil
utes! My heart t6umped against m
breast, trembled all over, and It we
almost impossible for me to keep fro,
throwing off our covering Of wood an
pushing onward. Indeed, my impull
got the better of me, and I started I
rise, but Margaret held me down.
had no further opportunity, for in al
other moment there was q sound {
boots among the stubble of the corr
field, and some men jumped the fenc
on the hither side. One dashed int
the creek, across it, and hurried ava
on the farther bank. Another crosse
lower down. Two more came to tt
bank and paused.
Reckon he's som'rs bout hyar."
"Too near. He'd likely go furthe
'thout stoppin'."
"Don' know bout that. This tin
ber's good place TO- hidin'. I'm goil
ter look hyar; you go on If y like;
want ter see what's behind that 10
afo' CO."
He descended to the creek, advance
In the rocky bed, came to the end {
II = Al L