Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1908-09-12

early morning IN the hills and he
heard family the mechanical click and
snap Of the rifles Of Chsuyenets party
as they expelled their exploded car
tridges and rehlled their magazines.
They're not so bad-bad luck to
Them he muttercd. "I'u be ripe for
the little brown men after get through
with this and Claiborne laughed
little and watched Armitage's slow ad-
vance out into the open.
The trio behind the barricade had
not yet seen the man they had crossed
the sea 90 XIII. as the line Of his ap-
proach closely paralleled the long ir-
regular wall with it's fringe Of cedars,
but they knew from Claiborne's signal
that he was there The men had pick
eted their horses back Of the little fort.
| and Claiborne commended their good
geueralship and wondered what sort
} OF beings they were 20 risk so much
upon SO wild an adventure.
Armitage rode out farther into the
opening and Claiborne. with bis eyes
on the barricadc. saw a man lean for
ward through the cedarSjn an effort 20
take aim at the horsemGn. Claiborne
drew up his own rifle and blazed away.
Bits Of stone spurted into the air be
low the targets elbow, and the man
! dropped back out OF sight without Or
! Ing
'I've never been the same since that
fever" growled Claiborne and snapped
out the shell sp.tefully and watched
for another chaIice
Being directly ga front OF the barrl-
cude he was Ia a position 10 cover Ar
| mitage's advance and Oscar mean
while had taken his cue from Armitage
and ridden slowly into the field from
| the left Tho men behind the cedars
/ fred now from within the inclosure at
| both men without exposing themselves.
but their shots dew Wild. and the two
horsemen rode up 20 Claiborne. who
| had omptied his rifle into the cedars
and was rcloading.
They are ali together again. are
they 2 asked Armitugc. pausing a few
| yards from Claiborne's rock, his eyes
upon the harricade.
The gentleman with the curly hair
u drove him In he is a poor shot
yesT"
Oscar frightened his belt and waited
Tor orders. while Armitage and Clai-
borne conferred In quick pointed SEN
fences.
"Shan we risk a rush or starve them
out7 I'd like 70 try hunger on Them"
said Amitage.
They'll all sneak of over the bridge
tonight n we pen them up II they all
/ tr, ne ono. fI.vr11 t.-,,r- ft A., -
| wen lose our quarry. But you want
to capture them-aliveT'
Il certainly dog Armitage replied
and turned 90 laugh NJ Oscar. who had
fired at the barricade from the back OF
his horse. which was rcscnting the In
! dignity by trying TO throw hls rider.
The enemy now concentrated a sharp
fire upon Armitage. whose horse snort
ed and paved the ground as the balls
cut the air and earth
For Gods sake get Off that horse.
| Armitagei" bawled out Claiborne. ris-
ing upon the rock There's no use In
wasting yourself that way"
My arm aches, and I've got TO do
something. Let's try storming them.
just for fun. It's a cavalry stunt. Clai-
|
lery that's supporting our advance.
FAN away there, Oscar. about forty
yards. and Wen race for II 10 the wall
and over. That barricade isn't as sim
as IL looks from this side. / know all
about It There are great chunks out
OF IL that can't be seen from this side"
Thank me for that, Armitage.
tumDled down q good many yards OF
IL when I played up here as a kid.
Get OF that horse. I tell youl You've
got q hole IN you nowl Get DOWN.
You make me tired. Claiborne. This
beautiful row VIII all be over IN a few
minutes. i never intended to waste
much time on those fellows when ]
got them where wanted them"
| His left arm hung quite limp at his
side. and his face was very white. He
had dropped his rifle In the road at the
moment the ball struck his shoulder,
but he still carried his revolver He
nodded to Oscar. and they both gal
Hoped forward over the open ground,
making straight for the cedar covert.
| Claiborne was instantly up and
away between the two riders. Their
bold advance evidently surprised the
trio beyond the barricade. who shouted
hurried commands to one another as
they distributed themselves along the
wal and awaited the onslaught. Then
they grew still and lay low out OF
sight as the silent riders approached.
The hOOfs Of the onrushing horses
rang now and then on the harsh out
cropping rock and here and there
struck fire. Armitage sat erect and
steady In his saddle, his horse speed
ing on In great bounds toward the bar
ricade- His lips moved in curious
stin fashion, as though he were fl,
muttering:
| For Austria, For Austrial He
babe me do something for the empirer'
Beyond the cedars the trio held their
FIRE, watching with fascinated eyes the
two riders, every instant drawing clos
er. and the runner who followed them.
''They can't jump thisl They'll veer
or before they get hereT shouted
Chauvenet TO his comrades. "Wait