The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1901-01-31

of an expedition of which he did not even
know the nature. He held his own life so
lightly that had not Harry seized him by
he shoulders and dragged him away into
the darkness he would have stood his
ground and been shot down. Amid whiz-
zipg bullets they hastened up the hill.
Twigs clipped from their parent stems by
the bullets of the victors occasionally fell
about the shoulders of the retreating men.
Harry's feelings during this flight were
almost beyond description. There seemed
ever present sense of wrong, a feeling
of failure, a fading hope, and he was so
dizzy at first that he staggered along by
the side Of his friend. BY the time they
had crossed the road the dizziness had
left him. After proceeding II few PAGES
into the grove of trees on the hill the feel
ing of reality returned to him. His APP
prehension began to adapt itself TO the
sudden change of circumstances. At the
first moment of his awakening amid the
crack of rifles, there rose about him sui
phurous yapOr which spread itself be-
tween him and the surrounding objects,
allowing him to survey them only in the
incOherent mist of Il nightmare in that
dark shrouding OF orr dreams, which dis
forts every outline and clusters the OBJ
jectS together in disproportioned groups,
diiating things into chimeras, and human
figures into phant0ms. BY degrees this
hallucination gave way to n less bewil-
dered and less magnifying state of vision.
The real made its way to his organs
struck upon his eyes-struck against his
feet, and demolished. piece by piece, all
the frlgbtful phenomena with which he had
at first thought himself surrounded He
realized that he was walking up a thick
ly-wooded nil, dragging Jack Moore with
him, and that he was in the midst OF a
party of thoroughly-excited fugitives.
Seized at last with a desire to retrieve
their lost fortune, he halted the men on
the top Of one of the lofty hills which
overlooked the town. After some little
trouble he rallied the fugitives and made
them stirring speech. Even while he
talked the shouts of the victors as they
looted the camp of the conspirators told
him that there was but little discipline or
care exercised by the militia
See how careless they aren' said the
youthful consprator. Let US hasten to
the boats and recapturc them, while they
are intoxicated with victory"
His earnestness reused the drooping
spirits of the young conspirators, and with
two-score men, some of whom We're armed.
| he started to recapturc the boats.
The militia were rude, undisciplined
young backwoodsmen, more intent on mis-
| chief and pleasure than any serious bust
| ness. Among other articles found in the
camp VI the lHSIESeHIS WIS some WHISKY,
and the company left to guard the boats
were drinking, singing songs and making
merry.
Now is our time, brave lads" said
| Harry, with the GOODNESS of Il veteran
The boats are our property. Let us re-
take them"
They passed over the hill and an
preached the river bank below the town
without meeting any opposition. No SEN
try was on duty in this part of the camp.
and had not two Of the miIitiamep started
to conceal jug of whisky down the very
road they were coming the surprise would
have been complete.
Bang. went gun. Back to their COM
pany ran the half-tipsy militiamen, cry
ing:
They are coming back! They are com
ing backp'
Forward! Charge" cried Harry.
The Captain of the militia company,
with about one-thrd of his command, took
shelter under the bank of the river and
opened fire at long range. Realizing that
the militia were too strongly posted to be
dislodged the conspirators retreated.
! Beyond q few trifing wounds the con-
flict was bloodIess.
One of the boats lower down the river
attracted the attention of Jack Moore, and
he said:
Harry, 1 kin bring that'n off if veil
let me-"
do It,"
Moore crept along the river bank.
crawled aboard the boat and cut the loor.
ings. 1t foated down in the darkness.
He seized the tiller and pushed it out into
the stream, until mile and half below
the town, when he ran it ashore, took
aboard 20 men, and hurried down the
stream, beyond reach of the militia, while
Harry and two or three more hurried to
Blennerhassett with the news Of the seiz-
ure.
The conspirators on the island, astound.