The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1908-12-03

believe that the
"Sheepskinsi Sheep whole detach.
&thsF ment was sta.
tionary in the ditch thirty yards or
more from the point where ii joined the
river. Only ten strong now and one OF
them woman, they made their way
toward the mouth of the ditch and 10.
ward the barges which held the prize
they sought
But a diversion and a very effective
one was soon 70 come from the front
OF the barn. Fearing that the party
under Sophy and Dunstanbury might
be overpowered, Lukovitch determined
on bold step. that of enticlng the
holders OF the barn from their shelter.
He directed his men to keep up a brisk
fire at the door. He himself and an
other man, one Ossip Yensko, disre-
garding the risk made rapid dash
across the line Of fire from the barn
for the spot where the horses were.
The fire directed at the door success
fully covered their daring movement.
They were among the horses in a mo-
ment and hard at. work cutting the
bands with which they were tethered.
The animals were half mad with
fright, and the task was one of great
danger
But the maneuver was emnently
successful. A cry Of "The horses. the
horses! went up from the barn. Men
appeared In the doorway. The sergeant
major in command himself ran out
Half the horses were loose and STAN.
peded along the towing path down the
river. THE horses. the horses! The
defenders surged out OF the Darn In
deadly fear of being caught there in n
trap. They preferred the chances OF
the fire and streamed out In a disorder
ly throng. LukovItch and Yensko cut
loose as many more horses as they
dared wait to release, then, as the de-
tenders rushed forward. retreated, fly.
ing for their lives. Lukovitch came Off
with ball In his arm; Yensko dropped.
shot through the heart. The men be-
hind the hill rlddled the defenders with
their fire. But now they were by their
horses, such as were left Of them
Nearer twenty than ten dotted the
grass outside the barn door. And the
survivors were demoralized. Their
leader the sergeant major, lay dead.
They released the remaining horses,
mounted and with one parting volley
ied down the river. With a cry OF trl-
umph Lukovitch collected the remain
der OF his men and dashed round the
side Of the barn. The next moment
Colonel Stafnitz found himself attack
ed In his rear as well as held In check
from the ditch in his front.
For a moment we thought ii was
our own men," said Rastatz. continu-
ing his account, "and the colonel shout
ed, Don't fire, you foolsp But then
they cheered. and we knew the Vol
senian accent-curse them! 'Sheepskins
again. said the colonel, with a wry
kind OF smile. He didn't hesitate then;
he jumped up, crying: TO the barges,
to the bargesl Follow mer
1--WE all followed. II was just as
safe to go with him as to stay where
you were. We made a dash for II and
got TO the bank OF the river. Then they
rose out OF the ditch in front Of US
and they were at us behind. too-with
steel now. They daren't shoot for fear
Of hitting their own people in our
front But the idea of knife In your
back isn't pleasant. and In the end
more OF our men turned to meet them
than went on with the colonel. went
on with him, though. I'm always for
the safest place If there's one safer
than another. But here there wasn't,
so / thought l might as well do the
proper thing. We met them right by
the waters edge, and the first ! made
out was the witch herself, In sheep
skins like the rest Of them, white as a
sheet, but with that internal mark alb
Bolutely blazing. She was between Pc
ter Vassip and a tall man didn't
knOw-I found out afterward that he
was the Englishman Dunstanbury-and
the three came straight at us. She
cried. The king, the kingP and behind
as we heard Lukovitch and his lot cry
ing, The king, the kingg
sour fellows didn't like 1t, that's the
truth. They were uneasy in their
minds about that job Of poor old MI
stitch's, and they feared the witch like
the devil. The heart was out of them
One lad near me burst out crying, A
witch and ghost didn't seem pleasant
things to fight Oh. 1t was all non
sense, but you know what fellows like
that are. Their cry of The kingg and
the sight Of the woman caused a mo-
ments hesitation. 1t was enough to
give them the drop on us. But the
colonel never hesitated. He flung him
self straight at her and fired as he
sprang. just saw what happened be
fore got crack on the crown of the
head from the butt end OF a rife which
Knocked me out OF time. As the colone