The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1899-11-16

'TheJ are upon u.s." he said. .1Take
to the rear, and the woods when you
can, while we give EN- brush for
time" He drew up his men in the road,
while Margaret and I, putting spurs
to our horses, darted to the rear like
the wind There was no need to orr
der Mellodew to follow, for his chat
tering teeth and his grin were sure
signs of fright. Remembering by,
road short distance back running into,
dense wood, determined to take it.
A few minutes run brought us to it,
and, turning, we found concealment.
In another moment we heard firing in
the road. -
And here at the very outset I proved
the grounds of the generals want of
confidence in me by disobeying his in
structions to let the others do the fight
ing and stick to Margaret. Leaving her
with Mellodew. who was still shivering
and grinning like an ape in midwinter,
I galloped back to take hand in the
fight. Scarcely had entered the main
road when heard a Gathering of hoofs!
ahead and saw Punk and his men COM
ing full tilt before troop of rebel cay.
airy. The situation brought me to my
senses. Turning, I rejoined Margaret.
found her alone.
'Where's Mellodewf
"Gone. There he rs now" :.
As she spoke. Mellodew emerged
from thicket and tore through an.
open space not far distant. A second
time lost my head, thinking only Of
getting my hands on the cowardly:
sneak, and, leaving Margaret, spurred
after him, though this time my action
WA not altogether unwise, for Mello-
ds~ had our mess kit and blankets. I
caught him hating on ditch over
which he dared not jump, and, Selling,
his bride rein, dragged him back toI
Margaret.
PUNK, who was better mounted than
his men, led the fight, and, recognizing
an opportunity to insure our safety,
drew the confederates past the point
OF our digression. Farther on he man
aged to elude them, and soon after re-
Joined us. I have never seen nor heard
of any other of the men from that day
to this.
A relief from immediate dangen
brought renewal of my anger at Mel
lodew. "You sneak" "a cuff, "youcow-
ard "a cuff, ''you chalk-faced, grin
ming, chattering idiot, I'll teach you to
desert us at the approach of danger.
Turn over the kit and go back to camp,
and I'll attend to you when return
mo, lieutenant" protested PUNK,
who rode up at the moment; "don't re-
ward him for desertion; leave him to
me; I'll watch him. He's only beast
of burden, and you can't expect dumb
brute to take care of himself in fight"
For once Mellodew did not grin; he
cast malignant glance at me, such as
a dog might cast at the master who had
whipped him.
''All right, corporal; take him under
your wing. But what shall we do?
We've lost our escort"
"And better off, lieutenant, than we
were before. We're in country swarm
in with the enemy, and no escort is bet
ter than small one. We've got to
skulk."
''True. Lead on, and when you reach
a farmhouse, go in, feel your way with
the inmates, and if you find you can
trust them, get me some 'butternuts,'
and some clothes for the pack mule Mel
lodew"
"All right. I'll try that cabin yon-
der"
When we arrived there, Margaret and
l took position in an orchard while
Punk went ahead to reconnoiter. He
was gone but little while, and when he
returned he told me to go with him to
the house.
"Are they union?" asked.
"Not much"
''Mixed?''
mot mixed, neither"
what! Rebel?"
"Rebel, hot"
"How the devil do you expect me to
go among rebels in this tog?"
II fixed up lie on 'em, lieutenant;
and my experience is, if you're goin'
to lie at all, the bigger one you tell the
better chance you have of bein' be-
lieved. I told 'em we were confed-
crate prisoners escapin'; that 1 had
got cts clothes and you and Mel
lodew had stolen Yankee uniforms as
the best you could do under the cir
cumstances, and now you want to
change off to country farmer
The splendor of this falsehood accom-
pished it's purpose. Mellodew and l
exchanged our uniforms for citizens
clothes, and, after breakfasting with
the family who furnished them, we pro-
ceeded on our journey.
We were now on the outskirts of
Charleston. The railroad ran through
the town, crossed the Hiwassee by a
bridge, and through the little town
Calhoun on the opposite bank. The
prospect of going through these two
towns or over railroad bridge was