Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1904-08-24

CHAPTER VII.
A REVELATION.

a REV ELATlON.
Once on the road, Bessemer and
his men put spurs to their horses
and galloped at a lively rate. Scouts
had reported that the enemy was
resting not far off. Bessemer, riding
at the head of his mounted dragons,
the perspiration streaming down his
red face, his eyes sparkling with an
ticipation of victory his well-knit
figure held erect in the saddle with
British military stiffness, looked
what he was-a combination of force
and fire.
A turn in the road brought them
in sight of a stream. The troopers
gave a shout of triumph, broken by
Bessemer's ringing command. In the
water were nude men, bathing and
swimming and sporting; along its
edge, ON the opposite side, were
others, stripped to their waists,
doing their family" washing; while
farther up the bank, under such shade
rs the sparse cottonwood trees gave,
were yet more, smoking or mapping
or eating. Most of them had their
rifles beside them and their horses
close by, but it availed them little.
Their cry of astonishment, chagrin
and terror beat the hot air ere that
of BeSSemer's men died away. The
naked wretches in the water were
cut down before they could escape.
Across the stream with eager haste,
yet with perfect order, went the
British, carrying all before them. In
NFasr III
under one of his aggagewagons,
seize the nearest horse by its name,
saddleless and bridleless as it was,
and try to rally his soldiers. The
day was lost, and though the Eng
Iish colonel did not capture the ''bri-
gand, as he had boosted he would,
he failed in little else he set out to
do; and, indeed, few save Sumter
himself escaped; not enough to war
rant pursuit in that appalling heat.
The British returned the way they
had come, eXulting. Ever thoughtful
of his troops, though he was himself
most anxious to get back to the FL
lery plantation and make that his
stopping place for the night, Besse-
mer perceived that the heat and the
sharp, hard ride since dawn had put
considerable strain upon his men.
Noting large, comfortable-looking
house setting some distance off the
road, surrounded by a fine grove of
trees, he asked, Can you tell me,
Edward, who lives yonder? Methinks
it is a good place for an afternoon
rest. Be they rebels or tories, we
eI
but l should like to learn which they
are, that / may know whether to re-
quest or command"
"They are tories" the boy an
swered eagerly, las loyal TO our king
as my own family; and they will
make you gladly welcome, l am
sure, as my people have" Bessemer
perceived that under the summer
flush which already covered his cheek
there rose a richer wave of crimson.
'Aha, a sweetheart residing there"
he thought. and with a sympathetic
feeling turned his horse off the road
and entered the gate, which stood
conveniently open.
The house was not the imposing
mansion the Ellery homestead. was,
but there was a warm southern well
come awaiting the intruders and a
piece of news nightly to Bessemer's
liking as well. \ courier, riding hard
to overtake the British commander,
had likewise stopped there for rest,
and scarce had the English colonel
dismounted ere he handed him dis
patch from CORVALLIS conveying the
news of Gates defeat.
There were three daughters of the
house, all of them vivacious young
women, as Bessemer soon discovered
'Oh. how delightful" they exclaimed,
when the contents of the dispatch be-
came known; ''two great victories in
one day; think of it,
Not in one day, ladies' Bessemer
reminded them. Gen. CORVALLIS
won his on the sixteenth
1T does not matter; we hear OF
them the same day the youngest
persisted. I'VE assuredly should dc
something to celebrate so great q
piece of fortune. If we could only
have a dance she added. with sug
gestive look in the direction of bel
mother. Mamma, why can't we in