The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1903-01-15
CONTINUED

By tnlS time night udu COME Oh, IL
roaring fire was lighted, and the guer-
rillas, forming a ring of which Jack
was the gem, threw themselves on the
ground and listened to her chat, her
songs, her stories, their fire lighted
| faces standing out Of the gloom in
grim contrast with her refined beauty.
| The captain, with his superior breed
, Ing, served as link between her and
his men, keeping them in check and
stimulating their admiration by his
own. If Jack tagged for moment be-
tween her stories and her songs, Helen
was quick to suggest new ones, and oc-
casionally both were relieved by little
Buck, who would throw in some quaint
remark typical of that peculiar crea-
ture, the American boy.
So long as the songs and stories last
ed there was nothing to precipitate
trouble, but the entertainment could
not go on all night, and | began to
dread the moment when the girls
should attempt to take their departure.
Presently Helen in firm voice said:
"Come, it's time for us to co.
Shouts Of "Now "a dancer "a song"
greeted the proposition, and the guer-
rillas began to form in groups to resist
an exit. Helen, selecting the noisiest
knot of men, drew revolver from her
pocket and, cooking 1t, moved toward
them with her eyes fixed upon them,
calm and steady. Whether it was that
| a. . a
mircd this evidence Of woman's pluck,
they opened a way. The captain, seiz-
Ing the opportunity, quickly took Jack
by the hand and led her after her
cousin. Once beyond the ring, he as
sisted the girls to mount, then, mount
ing himself, the three rode away, fol-
lowed by a cheer AS for me, breath.
cd one long sigh Of relief.
"Well, Ginger" said Buck, "reckon
ef we uns air goin to git to Sparty to-
morrer We'll have to travel all night"
as the niger takin yo' to Sparty or
air yo' takin the nigger?' asked one
Of the men.
Dat amt gwine to max no differ"
said Ginger. MARS Buck an don
| never had no trouble. Mars Blu Sl, he's
my mars till gifts to de new oncV
Buck led his horse to the log and
mounted, giving me a significant loss.
as much as to say, Il won't desert
you," then rode away, followed by Gin
ger, with the remark
"Goodby, yo' fellers. Much 'bligcd
TO the good time"
| The restraint Of the girls presence
being no longer felt, the mems behavior
changed in a twnkling. The captains
| absence left Pete Halliday, the worst
man in the gang, free to fomcnt trou-
bic, and he began to do so by sneering
at his chief for being brought as he
expressed it. under petticoat govern
ment. There appeared to be two fac
tons in the band-the one headed by
Halliday or JaycoX and the other by
| Captain Ringold. Halliday set about
| instigating the guerrillas, or. rather,
| his adherentS, to 60 after Helen and
Jack and bring them back for another
| dance. To make matters worse, one
of the men found some applcjack, and
it was not long before the gang were
half drunk. Meanwhile the captain
returned and received a hearty cursing
from Halliday and his adherents. Sew
eral Of them started to bring back the
girls, but Ringold drew upon them and
threatened to shoot them unless they
returned. They staggered back, grum-
| bling, and the captain adroitly pro-
posed another pull at the applejack.
This diverted them, and after finishing
the liquor one after another sank into
a drunken slumber.
1t was midnight. Every member of
| the band was asleep save the man who
was deputed to guard me. He was sit
| ting on a piece of firewood, so placed
| that he could watch me across the
fame. l lay on my back looking up at
the stars and featherlike clouds that
now and again foated across the great
| blue dome. the only motion apparent
save the tree tops bending under an oc-
casional breeze. The fire tlickerod, the
guard nodded, end an owl in the dis
lance gave an occasional boot.
SUI III lUp
brush. CHANGING aside, | saw small
light disk over bush. 1t was the face
Of little Buck.
Now, In the name Of all the gods, will
those devoted friends never give over
risking their lives in these useless at
tempts? What Is to happen now? |
scowled an order to the boy to go
away, but he paid no attention to 1t.
Something came sliding along the
ground and lodged against me. The
guard heard 1t, started, cast quick
glance at me. then about him, but,
seeing nothing, relapsed into his for
mer quietude. | felt for what had
struck me and clasped jackknife.
Meanwhile Buck disappeared but,
soon appearing again In his place, held
up carbine. He had doubtless stolen
1t from one of the men who slept on
the edge of the circle about the fire.
Again he disappeared, and watched
eagerly for his return. The guard was
still awake, though noddlng, but had
he been more watchful he would not