The National tribune., 1901-05-16

swell up, it'd take whole State for him
to turn around in, Lucky the eountry's
oyeu around here He'd never get it
through the woods in the world
Surgeon, you are not going away?" re.
marked the Lieutenant noticing that tha
surgeon was bringing up the rear.
have carefully provided for all the
SICK during the day, sir, responded the
Surgeon, officially saluting.
But 1t Is not my desire that you should
90, sir"
But it is mine to go. sir said the
Surgeon, saluting, and turning TO follow.
20. Augustus, you are not going to
phronia, rushing out on the porch. Bus
he was already too far away TO hear her
appeal
Foster Walsh led the way in a rapid
ride in the direction of 3lillen. Willing
and eager as 81 and Shorty were they
could not keep up with him. He was all
the time quarter of mile ahead. and
far in advance OF Pete and Sandy, who,
| as usual, acted as advance guard At
every hilltop, after scanning the country
in front, he would turn and look back
with impatienCe at the slowReSs with
which the column came on. 81 and Shorty
were not little anxious lest he be BUSH
| whacked, but they could not get near
enough to urge caution. and it would have
been useless il they had.
Shortly after they crossed the Ogeechet
River they saw four hOrsemen come on 20
the crest of the hill far ahead The in
stant Foster Walsh caught sight of them
he rushed up the hill at them, and though
they hastily fired. he waited until he was
close on to them, when he shot one
through the heart. The rest turned and
dashed back over the crest. 81 and Shorty
galloped forward, with Pete and Sandy,
to ses Foster Walsh oyertake one of the
others, who was trying to escape by
side road to the left, and knock him QUE
Of his saddle by a blow with the barrel OF
his carbine.
Say, what did you rush into them so
for:' demonstrated 81, as Walsh cama
back, leaving the man where he lay. ''They
might've been the advance guard of a
whole company. L thought they were at
first"
1T would have been the same if there
had BEEN" Walsh answered The Lord
inspired me. His will directs me. Though
4 thousand fall at my side, and ten thou
sand at my right hand, it shall not come
nigh me-
MAY be the Bible but it aint soldering
in Georgy," commented 81. You should
use more strategy. Pete, you and Sandy
had better ride over there and bring that
man in. Wen do what we can for him"
He don't need any help, the son OF
Belial," said Foster Walsh. THE spirit
of the Lord nerved my arm, and l landed
on the back of his neck, just as / aimed.
| They were some of the guards who've been
| shooting us from the stockades all Sum-
meT, and now've deserted, and are trying
| to sneak away home. l recognized them
| as soon as l laid eyes on them"
Hes as dead as the fellow back
there" decided the Surgeon, after brief
| examination of the body which Pete
| brought in lying across the withers OF
| Abednego. His neck was broken by the
| blow. First instance have seen of such
a thing, but the bones of these poor whites
| are soft, and yield readily under a blow"
Lay him beside the road there" COM
manded 81. We'll tell them at the first
house we come to to go back and get the
bodies and bury them"
Follow me faster" shouted Foster
Walsh, as he rode off. I'VE must geE
| there before sundowl."
| From time to time during the day they
| saw men, sometimes singly, sometimes in
| squads. Foster Walsh would dash as
them, and they would scurry away at the
sight of the bluecoats coming up behind
him. Some would IRE long-distance shots,
without any effect, but Foster Walsh
would not fire until he was certain os
deadly effect.
"The Lord has not put weapons into
my hands to frighten, but to slay them,"
he remarked to Pete and Sandy oncs
when they came together for a minute.
''They only meek at Him when they es-
cape death. They think there is no judg-
them. They must die to atone for their
Wrongdoings."
Noon passed, and yet all were too. eager
to stop for dinner. They pressed on after
the tireless Foster Walsh.
Say, Foster" said 81, coming up to
him as they were working through u
swamp, 81 notice that all the felers who
have run back lately have gone that way.
They're gathering on US over there, some
where. Wed better go a little slow and
get our bearings"
"Come on; come on" answered Foster
Walsh, impatiently. Were getting near
there. The Lord tells me that if I can get
there before sundOwn. I'll save Angus'S
life. If the sun goes down on him once
more he'll give up all hope and die during
the night. That's the way they all do.
Come on"
81 closed up his squad, to be ready for
anything, and pressed on after. Presently
they saw squad of five mounted men
whom 81 OWNED had been sent out from
a force behind to reconnoiter, but before
he could plan his battle, Foster Walsh
dashed at and through them. bringing
down one with shot through the head.
Lets follow, on the jump said 81 to
Shorty. It'll be the safest
Shouting to the others, Forward!
Charge! Gallopp' he and Shorty put the
spurs into their horses flanks, mixed up
with the accommodating party, and with it
dashed through the line of prison guards
drawn up along low crest Il mile from
the stockade. For a lurid minute there
was an exciting turmoil, with the guards,
afraid of hurting their own men, firing
excitedly and at random. and the Union
soldiers taking as good aim as they could
from the excited and plunging horses.
Then every guard that was still able to
struck out for the neighboring woods as
fast as his legs could carry him.
Leaving the fight to be decided as it
might, Foster Walsh had dashed ahead
to a line of low shacks thatched with tufts
of IOng-leayed pines. which constituted the
prison hospital. Three or four skeleton
like figures sitting against the trunks OF
the pines tried to rise up and shout at the
sound of the firing and the appearance OF
the galloping men in blue coats, but he
paid no attention to them.
He sprang from his horse and ran into
the corner shack.
angus, are you still alive? It's
Foster" he shouted.
The fearful death-odor, the noisome ex-
halation from men whom Death has sealed
for his own, and which always filed those
prison-hospitals, struck his nOstrils and
almost made him faint, but his eyes eag-
erly searched the emaciated forms lying
on the litter of e-boughs, and present.
ly with groan he sprang at one with 4
mop of matted fair hair, and blue eyes
OF ~ or rv11