The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1900-04-04


vcrted them still further. Yet they
held onward right Justify and travelled
many miles. with occasional halts for
rest and refreshment OF chargers and
men. About midnight, as they waded
knee deep in muck. leading their worn
out steeds by the brides, striving to
cxtricc,e e themselves from an apparent.
ly interminable quagmire (Which some
body had forgotten to show OH the Of
ficial map. all the rank and file aud
twelve-thirtecnths Of the officers made
up their minds that the commandnnt
guide was ut fault. He. however, con-
tinued cnIm and serene. with sublime
confidence IN his new requirement.
/ Early on the following morning, aft
er as good a nights repose as 1t was
possible to obtain in a mosquito IN
tested vale, the squadron met ncw
trouble. Tho air became full Of smoke
and wood ashes. The breeze brought
along With it sound of roaring and
cracking which set the poor beasts to
qulvering and made the men impatient
Of delay. A forest fire evidently was
raging in the neighborhood and speed
ing in their direction. 1t was d poor
unmounted, to find themselves. Even
the major commanding deemed 1t ad-
visable to change their course tenn
porarily, and they plugged along for
several hours in an opposite direction
to that from which the smoke seemed
to be coming. Nevertheless the fire
drew nearer, and with true pleasure
they emerged out upon a promising
road
(Which way now, sir?" asked the
senior captain, riding up to the CON-
mandant and casting sleeps eyes ut
the dusty thoroughfare, across which
the members Of the squadron were
slowly urging their horses.
''Iass the word to halt, dismount
and slacllen girths for a short rest"
replied the major, "but don't let either
Of the trumpcters sound Gull or I'll
strangle them"
"Eh? What?" calculated the sub
ordinate.
"I'm afraid that I've made con-
founded mess of it!' groaned the su-
perior.
"Oh, we're all right noww cried the
other cheerfully. I'VE can make quick
time by sticking to this road, and it's
bound to bring us out somewhere"
"What do we look like?" demanded
the major, with apparent irrelevancy.
Ell beg your pardon. sir" replied
the senior captain, opening his eyes in
astOnishmcnt at the question.
"What with faces and clothes
scratched and torn from brambles and
branches and plenty Of dirt from SCOT
and mud caked all over horses and
men we are a pretty tough looking lot
of soldiers Of the queen! More like
guerrillas or train robbers!'
why, my dear fellow" began the
senior captain remonstratingly.
"Hush" interrupted the major COM
manding. II think hear wheels COM
ing along the road! Quick! Get the
men to cover! Everybody hide! We
must not be seen!'
Thunderstruck at the incoherent
speeches Of the commandant and be-
ginning to suspect that his brain wae
affected, the senior captain did not
make proper haste In executing the
strange order, especially as It struck
him that over q hundred troopers. with
saddles half Off their sweating steeds,
could not find close ambush in a hur-
ry. SO the bulk Of the squadron was
on the road In plain view when the
mysterious cause Of their comman-
dant's perturbation appeared at tho
bend.
1t was rattletrap Of q buggy
drawn by a similar specimen Of nag
and holding single individual. ap-
parently well to do farmer.
At sight of the soldiery the newcom-
er pulled the poor horse up on it's
launches and without pausing for q
second glance turned his vehicle so
short that the OF wheels went high of
the ground and, lashing cruelty at the
plnnging Quadruped, scurried out Of
sight again as If flends were after him.
"Now. we've done it!' growled the
major commanding. '"At least I've
done It," he added In n semlo ornlcset!c
tone. 1--WE lost my way and brought
you over the border. We're IN the
United States now"
"Hey" snorted the captain.
Eyes. and that fellow in the buggy
has gone Off to report us to the author
tiles most likely" went on the other
6AoOAhAys cuPpOCC yOu CtsA
what that means. With all due defer
ence to the great republic, they are
mighty touchy about such things az
finding an armed body OF British SOL
diery on their territory. They're not
likely to listen to explanations for
awhile. Ehouldn't wonder IL they made
an International affair ont OF Il. Our
government Will have to reprimand us
anyway. I'll be broke. OF course. and
probably the squadron disbanded."
'tWhat can we do?'' voiced the senior
captain pensively.
..Do? Nothing" replied the major
commanding concisely. "But, as we're
in for a lamb, we might as well take
the whole sheep and start back home
by this road"
'tWell. that's better than. 1t might
be" put In the other philosophically.
= 'T don't know" went on the major
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