The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1905-05-04

Winston said Amenl" Now. Fred"
said Haskell, as he called for his horse.
I've got to ride the lines and get the
reports; but, we've got McKlnnon up
with the army at last, and soon as
we're through with this business wen
nail him" But evidently il was busi-
ness first in Haskell's eyes.
So Fred Benton had two burning de-
sires as he threaded his way through
the swarm of arriving batteries and
rode slowly back to Wadsworth; one
was to meet McKinnon and brand him
as the author of the ISLANDERS and the
other was in some way to wiring from
Chiffon an explanation of his violent
threat. Little did ne dream how soon
he should be spared the need-and
through what sad, strange circum-
stance.
| Between the twilight of the second
OF July that witnessed Ewell's bloody
assault and the dawning of that black
Friday of the Lost Cause.-The third
day-something had happened to give
new heart to Jackson's old men, The
"Stonewall' brigade was there still in
the woods in the low ground between
the rocky point. where crouched the
survivors of Wadsworth's division, and
the forest-covered heights on to the
eastward where cavalry guidons-
union cavalry-had been flashing in the
last rays OF the setting sun. Some
where in the dim fields there was stir
and excitement even in the wearied
bivouacs of Ewell; and. under the
starlight. eager to satisfy his generals
restless desire to know what IL all
Ileant, Fred Benton had orept out to
The front.
The word has Zone the rounds, to
| the joy OF every soldier heart, that
the new commander meant 10 stand
and fight. and If Lee could muster no
more men than these already thrown
| in. he might hammer the lines in vain.
Now. II only Stuart and his pet bril-
gades would but stay lost. so that no
fear need be felt for the far right
flank. all would indeed be we'll
But would Stuart stay lost? Could
he have got so far away as not to
be found and by this time returned to
the army; and when he came, would
il not be from the north. and thus
bring him in on the very flank they
were now defending? Tired as he was
Benton could not sleep for thinking
Of the disclosures made through Has
kell
Alone and afoot. after a word with
his grsy-haired chief, he slipped out
and away TO the Baltimore pike. This
he followed southeasterly nearly half
a mile. greeted occasionally by low
toned challenge Of sentry; but other
officers we're hurrying swiftly 20 and
fro, and there was little detention As
early as three o'clock ne found himself
following a patrol down a rocky path
way toward the creek, and. learning
from outlying sentry there that no
force seemed TO be in his immediate
front-only a few pickets-Benton ex-
planned that he wished to crawl out IA
enough TO be beyond the sound OF
trampling hoof and rumbling wheel az
/ the pike, that he might listen the bet
ter. And. creeping from bush to bush
90 avoid the mOOniit spaces, less than
half an hour before dawn he had sue
ceeded in gaining fully 400 yards out
toward the northeast. and there low
voices warned him to lie still and
listen. He was either on or within the
confederate picket line. and had much
to learn and little time.
And then, as he crouched close to
the trunk of a spreading tree, faint
and sweet. soft yet stirring. so far out
TO the north that the performer doubt
less thought It beyond the range OF
iuimical ears. a cavalry trumpet began
to sound the martial reveille, stirring
some nearby watcher TO remonstrance.
Damn that Internal dash-dash ed
idiot" stormed a low. half-choked
voice He'll tell the whole dash
dashed Yankee army our fellows have
come, Go back there. sergeant, and
tell our trumpter If he dares TO loot
horn I'll murder him"
Then somebody rustled on through
the bushes, and somebody else spoke.
Some Of Hampton's crowd. | reckon.
How long'd the general want us to stay
out hyuh? ?"
"Till Ewell attacks at dawn. Then
we'll mount and look out for Gregg.
His people are out here to the east of
us. Stuartll get after them, you bet,
as soon as it's light"
I'VE haven't got a horse that can
more'n stagger. All worn out, | tell
/ YOU" protested the second voice.
mo more'n theirs are. Jennings met
us back there on the Hanover pike.
and 1 heard him tell Fitz Lee Gregg's
horses were all played out"
Jennings be damned" broke In
third voice, impetuously, and Benton
started at the sound. II was Chllton's
beyond shadow OF a doubt Chiffon
again with his old regiment, and these
! with him were doubtless officers OF
| Fitz Lees brigade, scouting, probably,
well in front Of the cavalry lines, YET
/ proving that Stuart was there at last,
and could be counted on 10 make
/ things lively in the morning. II was
/ high time to slip back and give warn
ing, but getting back was slow and
| tedious-even perilous work. The
dawn was breaking when, in bedrag-
gled garb. Benton found his gray-head-
ed general in the circle about the COM