Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-10-24

impatientiy, of Helen.
when you were taken from our
house resolved to follow. Buck came
in just as / started, and insisted on
joining me. We traced you to Colonel
Rutland's plantation
II see. 1t was you heard coming
in after went up stairs"
"Ginger took the horses to the stable
and was returning to the house when
he saw two men climb a tree near your
window and enter your room. He
watched from a distance and saw
them bring you out, but he could not
tell whether they were taking you
away by force or assisting you to es-
cape. Coming into the house, he told
us what had happened.
"Jack started to awaken Captain
Beaumont, but stopped her. If you
had been assisted to escape, this would
be fatal. Besides, from what lack had
told me OF the captain, judged he
would have his nights rest before
starting in pursuit. I told Jack would
follow you myself. and she was wild
to come with me. Ginger had seen you
leave the plantation and knew the di-
rection you had taken. We sent him
and Buck ahead, and they soon came
near enough to you to hear your horses
hoof beats. then waited for US to come
up. Soon after we lost track Of you,
but. hearing something come crashing
down the mountain
"a stone"
Eve followed the direction of the
sound. In the early morning Buck and
Ginger came upon you unexpectedly.
AS soon as you had gone they rejoined
us, we Swallowed you and yesterday
afternoon laid plan for your escape"
"A wild, impracticable scheme. One
circumstance has led to another, each
involving you more deeply. My God,
what load of ohligationl We can't
stay here. Well starve. Buck, couldn't
you slip out in the darkness and find
help?'
mo, stree; I'm not goin out O. hyar.
I'm goin t. stay an fight with the rest"
"But you may save all our lives.'
stonel'
81: must stay with your sister and
cousin. Besides, I'm big and couldn't
get through as easily as you.''
"Well. amt a-goin to sneak away
If l am little"
"Bucky," said Jack, "yo' needn't go.
I'll go myself"
...Yo'' don do muffin like dat Missy
Jack" cried Ginger. Dem grillers
shoot yo'! VIVA mars say eff go back
an tell 'em de apple OBJ he eye go down
'mong grlllers 70 to git shot? gwine,
mars" he added to me.
But by this time there was more call
ing among the men below, a streak Of
light appeared Ia the east, and I did
not dare let any one attempt to evade
the enemy. Besides, I could now see
by the lay of the land that it would be
| impossible.
Something must have given the guer-
rillas an inkling Of our whereabouts,
for as soon as it was light we could
see them standing, looking up at our
position. told every one to lie low,
hoping that some of the outlaws would
climb up to investigate and we might
| pick them of. For more than an hour
we remained concealed, only speaking
in whispers; then we saw the knot Of
men below divide, three going to the
west three to the east. while three be-
gan to climb toward our fortsess. One
remained below, and as the light In.
creased I saw it was the CAPTAIN.
We four who were armed with car
hi l&or s,,l r
extreme left, Helen next, then Buck
behind the stone we had moved to fill
the gap, with Ginger bringing up the
right end of the line. I was an excel
lent shot-I had long been considered
one of the best in Tennessee-and it
turned out that Helen was not bad.
Ginger was no shot at all. l selected
the man in advance for my especial OBJ
1 ject, designated the second for Helen
and gave Buck the third. They were
to fire after me in the order named.
Ginger was to fire at any who might be
left standing. Jack had only revolv-
er, and directed her to keep back. She
was trembling, and in order to strength
en- her by concentrating her mind on
some duty told her to be ready to
hand us the ammunition after the first
volley.
The guerrillas came on, every man
holding carbine. When they had Gov
cred third of the distance. saw that
Buck was about to fire out of turn, and
was obliged to speak to him some
what sharply. think the advancing
men heard me, for they stopped and
consulted. The captain, standing be-
low, called to them to 80 on, and, sep
arating SO as to leave dozen yards
between each man, skirmish fashion,
they started again, watching eagerly
for a sight OF something to fire at. AS