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

Upon consulting his watch Colonel
John found it was only quarter after
nine when he once more dropped into
chair with his fellow officers, and
listened to their remarks, meanwhile
solacing himself with plebeian pipe.
He discovered now that he was al
most exhausted after the arduous du-
ties of the day, followed by the ad-
venture of the night.
When he had that pipe smoked out
he would occupy himself with duty
he never relegated to any Of his Off
GERS, and having satisfied his soldierly
spirit that all was well, Morpheus
might claim him until reveille sounded.
He had much to reflect upon-events
had indeed followed at each others
heels in such rapid succession that it
was like the march of an army carry
ing everything before it,
And Colonel John had reason to feel
satisfied with the outcome.
His pipe was out-the hour near
ten.
He mechanically looked at his re-
volver to see if the chambers were all
loaded, left his sword on the library
table, tired Of having 1t dangling at
his heels, and rousing himself strobe
into the grounds to observe his duties
as watchful soldier, and see that the
guards were posted.
Unconscious of the peril hanging
over his head he approached the first
campfire of his troopers.
Some were smoking pipes, others
engaged in conversation, while anon
a genial minstrel, having borrowed
banjo from one of the plantation dark
les, struck up melody to which he
lent the accompaniment of his tuneful
voice.
So Colonel John stopped minute
before intruding, stopped to gaze upon
the scene so in sympathy With his mill
tary spirit.
These men were his comrades; they
had shared many dangers in common,
and there was hardly a man in his
whole regiment who would not will
ingly have gone through fire and food
for their gallant leader.
Advancing, he met the sentry and
gave the countersign.
The merriment ceased as the colonel
appeared, but his men greeted him
with CHEEKY replies to his questions.
Seeing that all was well he passed
on to the next fire, which could be
seen blazing through the trees and
underground.
Through the arches formed by the
trees Colonel John passed, unconscious
of the fact that several dark forms
lowered near, following closely in his
footsteps.
These men had been keeping the
house under surveillance with some
object in view, and that this concerned
the Yankee colonel might be conjec-
tured from the eagerness with which
they logged his movements.
Again he entered the circle of light
and chatted with Sergeant Shanks,
whom he found on deck.
Between the two there passed a low
conversation on some subject of in
terest, after which Colonel John grave
ly shook the others hand and left the
little glade where the fire burned and
the troopers made themselves COM
Portable under the balmy Southern
skies.
When half way to the last post, the
fire of which cleaned invitingly
through the trees Colonel John found
himself without warning in the coil of
lasso that had been tossed by a
practiced hand from a point close at
hand. The moose instantly frightened,
fastening his arms to his sides. Be-
fore he could think to shout out the
alarm he was jerked from his feet to
the ground. A couple of men sprang
upon him with the ferocity of pan
theirs, and within sight of his own
camp-fires Colonel John found himself
a prisoner.