Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1906-03-27


Hawes.
I'VE re just in time, cap'n. That road
is full of Tories, and some mischief is
goin' on, you may depend ont" replied
Andersen earnestly. Il believe they're
going to hang somebody"
You don't say so?" exclaimed Capt
Nick, his eyes lighting up with the pros
pect OK ''tussle." How many do you
suppose there areT'
''All OF thirty they're all up in a heap
aid terrible busy about something, which,
as l told you, believe is an execution"
rs there time to make an ALFRED
patriotic speech, lieutenantT' asked
Hawes eagerly.
You might, cap'n, but it ought to be
short under the circumstances, because
il kinder delercate work to straighten
feier up after he's been hanging by the
neck during one &c your speeches. Bile
it down to a few words"
''Feller soldiers :" cried Capt. Nick,
waving his sword, glory is afore US,
disgrace behind us. Now is the time for
heroic deeds and gallant achievements.
Half dozen of you help Jones hold
down that colt. The road is full of
Tories and we're about to bust upon 'em
like an earthquake. | want every man
that wears saber to swing it Give
1t to EN- hard; cut right and left and
remember that you are fghtin' for life,
love and liberty. Let's up and show the
world what we can do. I'm goin' 20
charge on 'em, and I'll die on the ground
afore | il knock under. When l say halt,
stop as though it was physically onpos-
tn Co.
charge, bust like some mighty CONFUSION
OF natur. Foller me and keep still till we
get view of 'em."
The horsemen rode on at an easy pace
until they had nearly reached the turn
III the road, when the captain motioned
them to stop and riding on a few yards
further, came in view of Cunningham
and his men.
Keep back out of sight" said Halves.
wa1t to see what they're about. You
were right, Anderson, the wretches are
goln to string up human being, and |
believe it's that young Forstall. Now
IL that isn't scene TO make a mans
blood feel hot | never saw one. l don't
think l can contain my feeln's of out
ragged humanity much longer. Well break
upon ON, sir, like thunderclap !! Let's
go back and lead on our Bengal tigers.
for you see they're ready TO murder him."
When Halves stood once more before
his company his features were unusually
stern and he was biting his lips with
rage. lie unsheathed his sword with a
jerk, bent forward in his saddle, and ex-
claimed in distinct though suppressed
voice
They're doin' Satan's own work out
there, my brave fellers; they're going to
strangls a human specie-and one of Ma
rion's brigade Straighten up YOU tarnal
critters, give your horses the spurs till
they sweat with pain, bear down on the
| miscreants as though you were all shot
from the mouth of a mammoth mortar in
body. Strike as if you meant to cut
through man and horse at a single blow.
Steel your hearts, / tell you, to deeds of
blood, and don't think of anything but
victory and vengeance Rare up in your
saddles and follow me like so many links
of chain lightnin'!"
Capt. Halves struck his spurs deem into
the sides of his horse; every man of the
company followed his example. and with
drawn sabers and brows contracted with
frowns of deadly hate, Numbered forth
with irresistible impetuosity. They swept
round the bend, their foes were in sight.
and the next moment they charged
through them with a Dreadful shock.
Horses were overturned and their riders
crushed beneath them, while heavy sabers
flashed like living fires over their heads
cutting down their comrades with strokes
| that steel armor could not have resisted.
So furious was the onset and so headlong
their speed that they were carried some
| yards beyond the spot where the murder
was being enacted, but, checking their
maddened horses, they turned, obedient to
| the order of Halves, whose voice was
heard like the blast of bugle, and charg-
ed back upon the scattered and terrified
wratches.
Strike hard, tell you," shouted the
captain, and set ,ae example himself.
The paralyzed lenses of the Tories be-
gan to recover the T activity they drove
their rowels into cheir horses TANKS. and
Fed in every direction, Cunningham and
| GI'ney being among the foremost.
Forstall was instantly freed from his
pcrilous position; the sharp saber of
| Can't. Nick cut his bands, and Selling a
weapon, he Joined in the pursuit of the
| flying dragons. A sense of the outrage
which had been offered him nerved his
hHnd, and gave additional energy to pur-
suit, His horse sped on like an arrow
shot from the bow of an ancient High
lander. Frank pressed hard upon a ru-
gitive; he swung his saber-but before
it descended, the Tory turned back upon
him a face pallid with terror. and he
,xzl ,,,N II, Il
miscreants who had been most active in
arranging the preliminaries of execution.
Forstalfs heart swelled with a sense of
indignity that he had experienced; he
struck home, and the man fell, penetrated
by a wound which the combined powers
of all earthly surgery could never repair.