The National tribune., 1901-03-14

various parts of the farmyard to the road,
and kicking them and scabbing them with
knives, and beating them with clubs.
A large man, whom 81 and Shorty dim
| ly remembered as having seen before,
| stood on the porch directing the opera
! tions.
| 81 halted his men for an instant behind
screen of bushes, to get their breath
ana look to the caps on their guns, and
then, raising Il savage yell, rushed them
| forward.
The surprised rebels gave one look, and
started to run.
''Firep' shouted 81.
Three rebels fell dead 81 and Shorty
! ieaped the fence and brought down two
more with blows from their gun-barrels.
When the smoke raised not a rebel was
TO be seen except those on the ground
"Dey run right back dat-a-way," shout
ed Uncle Ephraim, excitedly, pointing
with his smoking gun-barrel. ''Dey's hid
in de brush an yaIler grass on de banks
oh de crick. Come down dis way t de
crick bank, an Wen cut dem off"
81 and Shorty, followed by Harry,
i Monty, AIf and Gid, rushed after him to
the creek bank. where they turned, and
heating back through the weeds, grass
! and brush, drove out six ill-favored ras-
Gals and took them back toward the house.
On the porch was crowd Of white and
colored women, screaming at the top of
their lungs. They found Pete and Sandy
standing guard at the front and rear of
the entry passing through the house.
Two o tlem,' explained Sandy, "them
that was bOssing the job, ran into the
house. We're waiting for you to come
back to go in after them. We wanted
you to keep these women off of u.s.
There was need of this precaution. A
stalwart woman, with iron-gray hair, ap-
parently the mistress of the house, and
her three equally stalwart daughters. all
armed with pokers, were alternating their
screams with threats of destruction to
the boys if they dared set foot to enter
the house.
With movement like fash Shorty
snatched the poker from the elderly
woman's hand, showed her aside, and
started to enter.
mo; let us go in and get them. They're
our meat" pleaded Pete. We holed
them"
"Go on, then" said Shorty. But be
careful. One of you look, and the other
stand behind him, ready to shoot"
With their guns cooked, Pete and Sandy
rushed in. There was no one in either of
the lower rooms, nor any place for one to
hide, and they ran upstairs. They saw
the bed, and ran to it, Pete raising the
valance, while Sandy stood back with
leveled musket.
"Git out o here" said Pete. kicking on
the soles of pair of large boots, that he
saw there with toes down. Come out,
or I'll shoot you where you lay"
A large man backed slowly out covered
with dust. and stood upright. The boys
saw large peppcr-box revolver in his
belt, and instantly recognized him as the
"Cunnel' Messack who had so thirsted for
tfgir blood when they were hiding on the
island the previous August.
They gave whoop of triumph to an
20 tbs.s- "a
the sound another man under the bed in
the other room, rushed downstairs and
tried to dash away, but was arrested by
blow from Shorty's stalwart fist.
In the meanwhile 81 had been survey
ing the sickeIing scene. To his soldierIy
eyes all that had happened was as clear
as if he had seen it enacted.
Lieut. Muffler had found the house and
its stock of forage and provisions. There
were no negroes about, and, seeing no
signs OF rebels, he had set his men hur-
riedly to work hItching up horses to the |
wagons and the buggy to carry his spoil
into the camp. There was need of the |
greatest haste. if he would reach the 200th !
Ind.'s place in column. "CunneP' Mes |
sack, an experienced hunter, had kept his |
men well concealed in the yellow grass
and brush, until Lieut.. Muffier's were all |
far from their arms, and scattered through /
the stables and yards, hunting up harness
restive ut the sight of strange men. hitched /
up. Then .'Cunnel" Messaek had rushed /
out. blown away the Lieutenant's head /
with a charge OF buckshot. and the rest
had been slot down almost instantly. Not
one had escaped. Those only wounded
by the first FIRE had been finished by sec
ond shot, delivered so close that the pow
der burned and blackened the skin
Every body had several bullet holes, be-
sides being hacked with knives and
pounded with clubs.
ST looked over "Cunnef Afessack, as
Sandy and Pete brought him up, with q
glare that shriveled the rebels soul. 81
said nothing, but, drawing the pepper-box
revolver from the rebels belt, noted that
each Of its six long barrels had been re-
Gently discharged. He picked up the
double barreled shotgun, lying or the
porch, and asked one Of the women:
''Is this Col. Messack's gun?"
Yes, 1t is" answered the woman.
Si noted that both barrels had been