Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1908-09-18

ditch ran down to the krath. On the
side near the farm 1t had high over.
hanging bank. the other side being
nearly level with the adjoining mead.
ow. Thus 1t formed a natural trench
and led straight down to where the
first Of the barges lay. 1t would have
been open to an enfilade from the river,
but Stafnitz had only one sentry on
each barge, and these men were occu.
pied in staring at their advancing COM
panions and calling out to know what
was the matter. AS for the bargees.
they had wisely declared neutrality.
deeming the matter no business Of
theirs. Shots were not within the
terms Of a contract for transport Stat
nitz, not dreaming of an attack, had
not reconnoitered his ground But Lu
kovitch knew every inch of it chad not
General Stenovics remembered that?).
and so did Peter Vassip. The surprise
of Praslok was to be avenged.
Rastatz takes up the tale again. His
narrative has one or two touches vivid
with local color.
when got round to the rear OF the
barn found our fellows scattered
about on their bellies. The colonel was
In front on his belly, with his head
just raised from the ground. looking
about him. lay down. too, getting my
head behind a stone which CHANGED to
be near me. l looked about me. too,
when it seemed safe. And 1t did seem
safe at first. for we could hear nothing,
and deuce man could we see. But II
wasn't very pleasant, because wes,snew
that, sure enough. they must be pretty
near US somewhere. Presently the colo
mel came crawling back to me. What
do you make Of It, Rastatz?' he whis-
pered. Before could answer we heard
q brisk exchange of fire in front of the
barn. I don't like It, said. 4 can't
see them. and I've notion they can
see me. colonel. and that's not the
pleasantest way to fight. is it?' Cad.
you're right" said he. But they won't
see me any the better for cigarette
And then and there he lit one.
"Well. he'd just thrown away his
match when young fellow-quite a
lad he was-a couple of yards from US
suddenly jumped from his belly on ia
his knees and called out quite loud-it
seemed to me he'd got sort Of panic
quite loud he called out, 'Sheepskins
sheepsklns" jumped myself, and I
saw the colonel start. But, by Jove. it
was true! When you took sniff, you
could smell them. OF course don't
mean what the better class wear. You
couldn't have smelled the tunic our
lamented prince wore nor the one the
witch decked herself out in. but you
could smell common fellows sheep
skin twenty yards off-aye, against the
wind unless the wind was mighty
strong.
'Sheepskins 1t is! said the colonel
+, with sniff. 'Volsenians. by CAD! It's
Mistress Sophia, Rastatz. or some of
! her friends anyhow Then he swore
worthily: 'Stenovics must have put
them up to this! And where the devil
are they, RastatZ? He raised his head
| as he spoke and got his answer. A bull
| let came singing along and went right
| through his shake. 1t came from the
line Of the ditch. He lay down again
laughed little and took puff at his
cigarette before he threw 1t away. JUS
then one of our sentries beloved from
the first barge, In the ditch. in the
ditch" 4 wish you'd spoken bl
sooner says the colonel. laughing
! again"
| While this was passing on Stafnitz's
side Sophy and her party were working
quietly and cautiously down the course
| Of the ditch. Under the shelter of it!
bank they had been able to hold {
brief and hurried consultation. VIVA
they feared was that Stafnitz would
make dash for the barges. Their FIR,
might drop half his men, but the sur
yivors when once on board-and tn,
barges We're drawn up to the edge o.
the stream-would still be as numerous
as themselves and would command tn,
course of the ditch, which was at pres
ent their great resource and protection
But If they could get on board befor,
the enemy they believed they coult
hold their own. The decks were GOV
cred with impedimenta Of one sort O
another. which would afford them GOV
er. while any party which tried t
board must expose itself to fire to
serious and probably fatal extent.
So they worked down the ditch, ex
cept two Of them. Little as they coul,
.E6 snare even two