News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1901-12-11
CHAPTER XII,
A DAYLIGHT ATTACK.

L L
surrounding underbrush, u
~ made quick progress. Jump
ing clean over bushes, darling
around trees and under low limbs, aft
err running some 200 yards from the
guerrilla camp l came to a compara-
lively open space. Seeing a figure
standing within it and surmising it to
be one Of my friends, was about to
call when woman's voice cried
"Haltw l knew that l was covered by
weapon and stopped short.
care YOU
eyes, and YOU
"Helen. This way"
She darted away like deer. I soon
overlook her, and together we ran per-
hapS half mile, when she began to
climb an ascent leading to the base of
an overhanging cliff. l saw through
the gloom a large and small figure
climbing just ahead of us and knew
they were Ginger and Buck. Helen led
the way up to recess in the cliff, and
l saw at once position that we could
hold against dozen men so long as we
had food and ammunition.
"HellO!' 1t was Jacks CHEEKY voice.
"GOody! Amt | glad to get out o. tie.
wilderness!"
I'm glad enough" said as soon as
I could get breath to speak, "but you
women
There was no time for words. We
GOT a Or1t poI1iDn hio ctOno int CON
between two others, and as soon as it
was in position had a continuous
breastwork The guerrillas were call
ing to each other in the woods below,
but they did not seem to know where
we were. picked up one of the guns
Ginger had thrown down, Buck had
one in his hands, Ginger kept one, and
Helen seized the remaining one.
"Where do l come in?" chirped Jack.
'Here." | handed her the revolver,
in which there were five loaded cham
bers, and told her to hold on to it, as
she would doubtless need it, We all
took position behind our breastworks
ready to repel an assault, at the same
time seeing to the condition of our
| pieces. They were cavalry carbines,
all loaded and capped ready for use.
"Where are your hOrsesE | asked.
"Picketed down there" Helen re-
piled, pointing westward, "in a thicket
not far from the road"
"Have you anything to eat?"
She glanced at a parcel on the
ground. Il got that in cabin. There's
some corn pone and pork"
Barely enough for one meal. Any
| waterW
"There's some water trickling be-
tween the rocks back there"
"That pone and pork means a chance,
but it's a slim one"
Helen set her lips, Jack turned pale,
! Ginger showed no emotion whatever.
while Buck remarked that he'd be
"darned if he didn't PUNK one of''em,
anyway" AS for myself. l was aghast
at the terrible fate that threatened
those who had so nobly and so bravely
risked all in my behalf
"What brought you hereY | asked,
impatiently, of Helen.
"When you were taken from our
house resolved to follow. Buck came
in just as l started and insisted on
Joining me. We traced you to Colonel
Rutland's plantation
81 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 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 yor
had been assisted to escape, this would
be fatal. Besides, from what Jack hat
told me of the captain, judged hC
would have his nights rest before
starting in pursuit. told Jack | would
follow you myself, and she was wild
to come with me. Ginger had seen yol
leave the plantation and knew the di
rection you had taken. We sent hin
and Buck ahead, and they soon cam,
near enough to you to hear your horses