Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1905-11-17
CHAPTER xLA-Continued.

1--WE were fair at t'other end of the
mountain, and twas | told Eph there
was only one man mi the two Carolinas
who could swear the match OF tina
Then he whirled upon my judges.
What is this. gentlemen2-a court
martial2 Captain lreton rs my iriena,
and as true a patriot .as ever drew
breath. What is your CHARGE
Colonel Sewer, In whose command
Richard and the old borderer had
fought III the hilltop battle, undertook
TO explain. / stood ~self-confessed as
the bearer of dispatches from Lord
CornWallis and Major Ferguson, he
said, and l had claimed that the orders
had been so altered as TO delay the ma
jor's retreat and SO 10 bring on the bat
tie. But they had just found Lord
CORVALLIS letter i'm my pocket. still
sealed and undeliveTed. And the tenor
Of IL was precisely opposite to that OF
an order calculated TO delay the ma
jor's march, as Mr.. Jennifer could see
If he would read IT,.
While Sewer was talking, the old
borderer was fumbling In the breast OF
his hunting-shirt, and now he produced
a packet of papers tied with red tape.
Pears to me like you I~njun-killers
from tother side O the mounting Is in
a mighty hot sweat To hang some
body" he said, as cody as IL he were
addressing a mob of underlings.
Here's a mess o. billy-doos with Lord
CORVALLIS name On 'em that | found
'mongst Major F~arguson's leavings. If
youll look EN- over, maybe you'll find
out, immejitly il not soner, that Cap'n
John here is telling ye the plumb
truth"
The papers were examined hastily,
and presently John Sewer lighted upon
tho HtcnarPh / had % priA1 and 1pliN-
cred. Thereat the colonels put thGir
heads together; and then my case was
reopened, with Sewer as spokesman.
I'VE have a letter here which APP
pears 10 be the original order to Fer
guSon, Captain IretCn. Can you repeat
from memory the postscriptum which
you say vas added 10 it?'
/ gave the gist of my old patriarch's
addendum as we'll as / could; and
thereupon suspicion He'd away and my
late ridges would vie with one another.
in hearty frontier hand-grasps and
apologies, whilst the throng that ringed
us in forgot caution and WEAKNESS and
gave me a cheer 10 wake the echoes.
Twas whilst this hurst of graduation
was abuzz that Ephraim Yeates raised
a cry of his own.
stop that there black-leged imp o.
the law" re shouted, pushing his way
out OF Inc circle. lie the one mat
ought to hang"
There WAS a rush for the wagon bar
riCade, a Clatter OF horse-hooCs on the
hillside below. and Yeates' rifle went
TO his face. But the bullet dew
wide, and the black-garbed figure
clinging 10 the horses name was soon
out OF sight among the trees.
ZEE allow. ye'd better look out for
that yaller-skinned little varmint
Cap'n John quoth the old man. care
fully wiping his rifle preparatory to re-
loading it. He's rank piZeu, he is,
and yell have to break his neck sooner
r later. / lowed to save We the trou-
bic. but old Bess got mighty foul yes
tiddy, with all the shootings ond GO
ings on. and hain't got no l~ead-brush
to clean her tut"
Now that / was fully e~xoncratcd /
was free TO go and come as ! chose;
nay, more, / was urged 10 cast in my
lot with the over-mountain partisans.
AS to this, / took counsel with Rich
ard Jennifer whilst the colonies were
their commands in order for the
march and loading the prisoners with
the captured guns and ammunition.
What is 10 the fore, Dick / asked;
more fighting?"
The lad shook his head. Never ar
blow. / fear Jack. These fellows
crossed the mountain TO whip Fergu-
son. Having done it they will go
home"
/ could not forego a hearty curse
this worst of all militia weak
nesses. the disposition 10 dispense as
soon as eve a battle was fought,
It's nigh on TO a crime said /.
This victory. smartly followed up,
might Well be the turning of the tide
for US"
But the lad would not admit the
qualifying condition. Twill be no less
il is he declared. Mark you, Jack:
twill put new life into the cause and
nerve every man of ours afresh. And
for the redcoats. if my Lord Corn
wallis gets the news of it in Il lump,
he should. Gates will have plenty OF
time TO set himself in motion. slow as
he Is.
Twas then / had an inspiration, and
/ thought upon ii for a moment.
what are your plans. Richard :"
fie shook his head. ~ have none
worth the name"
Then you are not committed to
Colonel Sewer for a term of service?''
NO; nor to Cleaveland, nor TO Me-
Dowell, ror any. We heard there was
to be fighting Observation-Disclosures
Yeates n land we came as volun-
teers."
Good. her / have a thought which
may stand for what ii Is worth. To
make the most of this victory over Ma
jor Ferguson, Gates should be appraised
at once and by a sure tongue; and his
Lordship should nave the news quick
ly, too. and In a lump, as you say. Let
us tax horse and ride post, we two;
you to Gates at Hillshorough, and l to
Charlotte"
II had thought of my part of that"
he said in a muse. Then he came alive
to the risk l should run. But you
can't well go back 10 CORVALLIS now.
Jack; It's playing with death. There
will be other news-carriers-there are
sure to be; and a single breath TO
waispSr what YOU have done VIII hang
you higher than Haman."
I shrugged at this. TITS but a war
hazard"
He looked at me c%uriously. / Saw q
Si.rewd question in his eyes and set In
slant action as a barrier In the way OF
It's asking.
sLet us find Colonel Sewer and beg
us the ioan Of a pair OF horses" said
/: and SO we were kept from coming
upon the dangerous ground OF pointed
questions and evasive W
Somewhat TO my surprise. both Sewer
and Shelby fell in at once with ouI
project, commencing II heartily; and !
learned from the lips OF that courtlies,
the real reason for the proposed hur.
ried return OF the over-mountain men
The CheroKees. never 10 be trusted
had. as II seemed. procured war sup
plies from the British posts TO ths
thw and were even now on thu