The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1901-05-15


She took the knife from the mans
belt and cut my bonds rubbed my
wrists together for a few minutes to
take out the stiffness and to restore the
circulation. Again she urged me to
start without delay.
"Wait minute" said "We must
provide ourselves. %
They had taken my arms from me
when they bound me, and I recovered
them, adding to my supply Crowder's
pistol and some ammunition. Then
turned to the horses.
Old Puts great dark eyes famed
with approval and gladness He had
stood at his halter's length, watching
the orgy and my rescue with attention
and understanding.
"We'n bid farewell to these beasts
now, old comrade, ~ said in whisper,
patting his nose,
He was too cautious to whinny re-
ply. The brown hack was near him, but
I saw another among those belonging to
the guerrillas which I fancied much
more than he. I hastily changed Miss
Towards saddle to his back, assisted
her to mount and sprang upon Old Put
I turned the heads Of our horses TO-
ward the northwest, but as the woods
before Us were dense and interlaced
with wiry bushes and creeping vines
we dared not attempt more than walk.
The horses stamped and neighed as we
left them. The girls mount stepped on
large, dry branch, which broke with
a crack like pistol shot Nor did i'll
luck stop at that The abandoned
horses, frightened by the report, neighed
and stamped again, creating a great up
roar.
The sentinel, who was the least
drunk of the party, sprany to his feet.
He was yet half dazed with sleep and
LIQUOR, but he saw the dim figures Of
man and woman riding away from the
little encampment, and he knew that.
according to the plans Of Captain Crow
der, it was not what should be. He fred
hasty pistol shot in our direction, the
bullet clipping the dry twigs above our
heads, and then shouted to his comrades
to awake, giving emphasis to his cries
with many sturdy kicks
'Look out for your headp' I shouted
to Miss Howard "An untoward bough
might prove fatal And be sure you stay
with me. %
"I'll not leave you," she said
.Now, Old Put" I said, "lead us
out of this. -
He curved his long neck in the dark
ness and looked ahead with sharp brown
eyes. I let the reins fall loose, and he
wound about among the trees with q
judgment that was never at fault The
other horse kept close at his side. Be-
hind us we could hear the cries of the
awakened men as they leaped upon
their horses and rode after Us, shouting
to us to stop. Two or three more pistol
shots were fired, but the air received
them.
If the men could see at all, it was but
dimly, though they could follow us by
the hoof beats of our horses and the
tearing of the vines and slapping OF the
bushes as we passed They made such
prodigious cursing and swearing that
we were never in any doubt as to where
they were. had mind for moment
to send toward them pistol ball which
would stop their fuss, but concluded
that the more noise they made the bet
ter it would be for Us, as it gave Us ex-
act warning of their approach. They
did not seem to be gaining upon US,
which was satisfaction for the present
Out on the plain they would see US
more distinctly, but believed that our
horses could leave them there.
saw beam Of light shining through
the latticework of the boughs and then
another and another and knew that we
would soon be in the open The girls
horse stumbled, and she uttered little
cry OF dismay, but in a momens the
horse was steady on his feet again, and
we went on The beams grew more
numerous and fused into 8 broad shield
of moonlight Two minutes more and
we would be out Of the wood and into
the cleared ground, with the fields rae
ing behind as
But the light had its evil for us
Against its broad silver disk we were
silhouetted like the man in the moon,
and the popping Of pistols told us that
we had become good targets. One bull
let passed SO close to my head that
thought it must have cut lock Of hair
in its passage. and took it as warn
ing to hurry.
"Haste, Miss Howardp' / said 1--WE
want to be beyond pistol shot In the
cleared ground. for the light will help
them there
She was riding well, and her e1pres-
sion was firm and courageous We
shook the reins against the necks OF Our
horses, and taking the chances OF bush
and vine sped into the open as yolley
of pistol shots whistled after us
uttered a shout half OF pleasure,
half of defiance, to our pursuers and
bade Old Put show them what 1t was