Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1906-05-17

ments that are by common consent
supposed to. make gentleman, no
matter whence he comes.
Worden's fiery nature was ablaze at
the cruel trick fate played upon him.
Once before, in connection with
Johns cousin had he attempted to
down the Yankee colonel, and in that
well-laid scheme they had been defeat
ed, as we have seen, by the good sense
of Molle Granger.
This time Worden came with several
companions sworn to run any risk in
order to accomplish his end.
When Colonel John fell into their
hands, to dispose of him thsn and
there would have been easy enough,
but the chagrined Confederate had
made up his mind that he could never
rest easy unless his fortunate rival
met the fate that had been designed
for him on that former occasion.
A soldiers death would be too good
for the man he hated.
Men often overreach themselves in
struggling to clutch the first fruit that
is just little beyond their grasp, ig-
noring that which could be obtained
without much effort
Colonel John received rough treat
ment at the hands of his captors, but
although dazed by the blows they
dealt him he did not quite lose his
presence of mind.
Taught by the cunning opossum,
which he had as boy hunted in the
woods near Atlanta, he feigned state
of insensibility, and allowed his cap.
tors to carry him out of the grounds
neck and heels, as though he were
only billet of wood.
These men knew what they were
doing, and had made all preparations
for successful carrying out of their
plans.
Lyndhurst was close upon the outer
line of the Union Army, and once be-
yond the pickets they need fear no
further danger.
A vehicle was in waiting, rather
ramshackle affair, drawn by a mule
and engineered by a darby, but it
served their purpose admirably and in
short time they were moving over
the neutral ground lying between the
hostile armies.
Colonel John had fully recovered bis
senses, but feigned an apathetic state,
not wishing them to know his true
condition.
Lying there, jolted by the passage
of the springless wagon until the
oil ~f l.;
body, he endeavored to catch what be
could of the conversation between the
men who were crowded in the small
space.
Learning what they intended doing
with him was not conducive to a COM
Portable frame Of mind, but as a sol
der, Colonel John had long ago leCrn-
ed to take danger by the throat and
throttle the monster.
He showed his characteristic diplo-
macy by arranging certain plans of
his own, whereby he might be able to
defeat the enemy at his game.
At length the darby turned his an
cient quadruped into an open gate
way.
Here lay an old house that, having
been in the line of fire during one Of
the last fierce engagements before At
lanta, was pretty much of ruin now
Into this half-wrecked building, now
within the Confederate lines, as the
two armies had in measure changed
places, they carried John.
1t was a fit place for such a dark
deed as the Confederate major had in
view.
Gaping holes in the walls showed
where the shot had plunged through
piles of debris on the floor told of
ruin above, and it was only a question
of time when storm would lay the
once stately pile low
Such are the ravages of war; they
could be seen like the trail of the SER
pent wherever a hostile army ma g.
it's way.
A devastated Shenandoah Valley,
once fruitful, a veritable Eden, now
blackened waste, spoke in eloquent
language of wars cruelty.
And later on Sherman's march to
the sea would cause swath of de-
struction behind, for when such an
army cuts loose and lives upon the
land they leave little behind.
In this old house Colonel John was
to finish the tragedy cut short by his
escape on the former occasion.
They had condemned him as spy,
and the finding of drumhead court
martial hung over him, no matter if
time had flown.
Worden's motive was very gauzy-
he did not work from patriotic i'm
pulses, but purely personal desires.
To make Mollie a widow-that was
his design stripped of all disguise.
It pleased his vindictive nature to
disgrace the object of his hatred as
much as possible.
Possibly that was freak of fortune
by means of which he might be over
come by his own eagerness-hoist
through his own petard, as it were.
They learned by this time that John
was himself again.
A flambeau had been brought upon
the scene, and the prisoner, with his
hands fastened by stout cord, stood
there before his enemies.
There was no quailing about his
eyes-they looked into the mad orbs
of Major Worden with contemrfuous
GOODNESS that caused gritting of the
teeth, but, remembering that the game
was his, the latter smiled.
Turning to his men he babe them