Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1906-02-20
HORSE SHOE
ROBINSON
A Tale of the Revolutionary Struggle In
Upper Carolina.
By JOHN II. KENNEDY.

now much the worse for the fatigue
and revelry of the preceding night. A
savage and surly expression was seat
ed on his brow, and his voice broke
forth more than ordinarily harsh and
dissonant. as he ordered the troop to
rouse and prepare for their march.
The summons was tardily obeyed;
and while the yawning members OF the
squad were lazily moving to their sew
eral duties and shaking off the fumes
of their late debauch, the captain was
observed bending over the PROSTATE
form Of Gideon Blake, and directing a
few anxious inquiries into his condi-
ton. The wounded man was free from
pain, but his limbs were stiff, and the
region Of the stab sore and sensitive to
the least touch. The indications, how
ever, were such as to show that his
wound was not likely to prove mortal.
BY the order of Habershaw. better
litter was constructed, and the troop
ers were directed to bear him, by turns,
as far as Christie's where he was to be
, left to the nursing Of the family. 1t
was a full hour before the horses were
saddled, the scattered furniture COL
lected, and the preparations for the
march completed. When these were
accomplished the prisoners were pro-
vided with the two sorriest horses Of
the troop. and they now set forward at
nf
men commanded by James Curry. The
two troopers who bore the sick man
followed on foot: Habershaw with the
remainder one OF whom had appro-
priated Captain Peter, whilst he led
the horses Of the dismounted men,
brought up the rear.
On the journey there was but little
spoken by any member Of the party;
the boisterous and rude nature of the
men who composed the troop seemed
to have been subdued by sleep into
temper Of churlish indifference or stol-
i'd apathy. Peppercorn, or James Cur
~, as the reader now recognizes him,
strictly preserved his guard over the
prisoners, manifesting a severity Of
manner altogether different from the
tone of careless revelry which charac-
terized his demeanor on the preceding
night. It never relaxed from an off,
cial and sullen reserve. A moody
frown sat upon his brow, and his COM
munication with the prisoners was
confined to short and peremptory COM
mands: whilst at the same time, he
forbade the slightest intercourse with
them on the part Of any Of the guard.
During the short progress to Christie's
he frequently rode apart with Haber-
shaw: and the conversation which
then occupied these two was maintain
ed In q low tone, and with a serious air
that denoted some grave matter Of de-
liberation.
1t was more than an hour after sun
rise when the cavalcade reached the
point of their present destination.
There were signs of an anxious pur-
pose in the silence of the journey
broken as 1t was only by low mutter-
ings amongst the men, above which
sometimes arose an expression Of i'm
patience and discomfort. as the sub
ject of their whispered discussions ap-
peared to excite some angry objection
from several Of the party; and this
mystery was not less conspicuous in
the formal order Of the halt, and in
the pause that followed upon their ar
rival at the habitation.
The house, in front of which they
were drawn up, was, according to the
prevailing fashion of the time, a one
storied dwelling covering an ample
space of ground, built partly of boards
and partly of logs, with a long piazza
before 1t, terminating in small rooms,
made by enclosing the sides for few
| feet at either extremity. Being situa-
ted some twenty PAGES aside from the
road, the intervening area was bound
ed by a fence through which gate
afforded admission. A horseback,
with a few feeding troughs, was erected
near this gate: and a draw-well In the
same vicinity, furnished a ready supply
of water With the exception Of a
cleared field around the dwelling the
landscape was shaded by the natural
forest.
A consultation of some minutes du-
ration was held between Habershaw
and Curry, when the order to dis
mount was given, accompanied with an
intimation of design to tarry at this
place for an hour or two; but the men,
! at the same time, were directed to
/ leave their saddles upon their horses.
One or two were detailed to look after
the refreshment of the cattle, whilst
the remainder took possession of the
principal room. The first demands OF
the troop were for drink, and this be-
ing indulged, the brute feeling of con-
pends altogether upon sensual excite
ment, began once more to break down
the barriers of discipline, and to mount
into clamor.
The scenes of the morning had made
a disa greeable impression upon the
feelings of Butler and his comrade,
The changed tone and the ruffian man.
ners of the band, the pause, and the
doubts which seemed to agitate them
BODIED mischief. The two prisoners,
however. almost instinctively adopted
the course of conduct which their cir
cumstances required. They concealed
all apprehension of harm, and pa
tiently awaited the end. Horse Shoe
even took advantage of the rising mirth
of the company when drink began to
exhilarate them. and affected an easy
tone of companionship which was CAL
culated to throw them off their guard
He circulated freely amongst the men
and by private conference with some
of the Individuals around him, who
attracted by his air of confiding gay
ETY., seemed inclined to favor his ap-
proaches of familiarity, he soon dis
covered that the gang were divided ir
sentiment in regard to some import
ant subject touching the proposed
treatment Of himself and his friend
Marty at least he was thus made