Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1908-09-18
s. Ch~pter|
c Ihirtytwo

whole skin, out Of the encounter and
lived to reach middle age under new
regime so unappreciative of his serv.
Ices that 1t cashiered him for getting
drunk within year from this date.
He ended his days as billiard marker
at the Golden Lion, fact agreeable tc
poetic justice, but not otherwise mate
rial. While occupying that capacity he
was always ready to open his mouth tC
talk provided he were afforded also a
better reason for opening 1t.
Stafnitz and his men felt that theil
hard work was done. They We're with
In touch Of Slavna, and they had nc
reason, as they supposed. to fear any
attack The colonel had INDUCED them
in something approaching to a carouse
Songs had been sung and speeches
made; congratulations were freely Of
fered to the colonel; illusions were
thrown out not too carefully yelled tic
the predicament in which Stenovics
found himself. Hard work. good
supper and plentiful wine had theil
effect. Save the sentries all were asleep
at 10 o'clock and game to sleep till the
revellle sounded at 6.
Their presence was surprise to their
assailants. who had perhaps approach.
ed In too rash confidence that they
were first on the ground. But the
greater surprise befell those who had
now to defend the barges and the
guns. When the man who had found
the dead sentry ran back and told his
tale. all of them. from StafnitZ down
ward, conceived that the attack must
come from Stenovics. None thought of
Sophy and her Volsenians. There they
were packed in the barn, separated
from their horses and with their car
bines laid aside. The carbines were
easily caught up, the horses not SO
easily reached, supposing an active
skillful enemy at hand outside.
For themselves their position was
good to stand siege. But Stafnitz
could not afford that His mind flew
where Sophy's had Throughout and
| on both sides the guns were the factor
| which dominated the tactics Of the
| fight 1t was no use for Stafnitz to
stay snug in the barn while the enemy
overpowered the barges (supposing
they tried fight, disposed Of the sentry
| stationed on each deck and captured
| the guns. Let the assaiant carry them
off and the colone's game was up.
| Whoever the foe was. the fight was for
the guns and for one other thing nc
doubt. for the colonel's life
1 eva faIt in tho dauca of maSS
Rastatz related. ''for we didn't know
how many they We're. and we couldn't
see one of them. The colonel walked
out of the barn cool as cucumber and
looked and listened. He called to NE
to go with him. and so l did. keeping
as much behind his back as possible
Nothing was to be seen. nothing to be
heard. He pointed to the rising ground
1 opposite. That must hide them he
said. Back he went and called the first
half company. You follow me in sin
gle file out Of the barn and round tC
the back Of it. Let there be foot be
tween each of you. room enough tc
miss. When once you get in rear OF
the barn, make for the barges. Never
|
pany will cover the horses with theil
fire. RastatZ. see my detachment round
and then follow. Well leave the ser
| geant major In command here Now
| quick, follow me!
"Out he went. and the men began t.
follow in their order had to stand Ii
the doorway and regulate the distance
between man and man. l hadn't beer
there two seconds before dozen head.
came over the hill and dozen rife.
cracked. Luckily the colonel was JUS
round the corner Down went thu
heads again. but they'd bagged two o.
our fellows. shouted to more to com,
out and at the same time ordered tn,
sergeant major to send file forward
to answer the fire. Up came the head.
again. and they bagged three more
Our fellows btazed away in reply. bu
they'd dropped too quickly. ! dom
think we got one
"Well. we didn't mind so much abou
keeping our exact distances after that
and ! wouldn't swear that the Who'll,
fifty of us faced the fire. 1t was devil
ish disconcerting. you know. but in ,
few minutes thirty or five and thirty o
US got round the side of the barn some
how and for the moment out of harm
way. We heard the fire going on still
In front. but only in desultory way
They weren't trying to rush US, and
don't think we had any Idea of rushing
them. For all we knew they might b.
200 or they might be dozen. AT an.
rate, with the advantage Of position
they We're enough to bottle our men "
In the barn for the moment at al
events"
This account makes what had hap
pened pretty plain. Half Of Sophy'
force had been left to hold the enem
or as many of them as possible In tn
barn. They had dismounted and wei
covered by the hill. could make goo
practice without much danger to them
selves. Lukovitch was in command o
this section of the little troop. Sophy
Dunstanbury and Peter Vassip, also O
J foot (the horses hoofs would have be
trayed them, Were stealing round. IL
tent on getting between the barges an
: any men whom Stafnitz tried to plac
In position for their defense. Afte
leaving men for the containing part
and three to look after the horses thi
detachment was no more than doze
strong. But they had started befor
StafnitZ's men had got out of the bar
and despite the smaller distance tn
latter had to traverse could make
good race OF ii for the barges. The