The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-12-12

the house, 1 replied, making up my mind quickly what I should tell. "When I first got in here Big Donald and two other Confederate officers were present and I was made captive by a trick. Later I was left under guard of the women while the men went aft CT a squad to take me into the rebel lines. In the meanwhile there were some strange happenings here. Two men were mysteriously killed"
 Killed? How?'
 "By knife thrust in the throat. In fear for their own lives the ladies re- leased me, but we have searched the house without finding trace of the mur- derer. One body was removed, but the other lies wonder in the library"
 was outside on the porch, my eyes by this time somewhat accustomed to the darkness. The sergeant and O'Brien were facing me, while num- Der of the troopers had left their horses to be held by comrades and were grouped together on the lower steps, the rays of the hall light Illuminating their faces. could perceive the sweep of the ash covered driveway; the thick fringe of bushes beyond. Suddenly they turned to flame before my eyes; there was a roar, blaze of light, a rearing of horses, the stamping of hoofs, q wild shriek, frightened voices yelling, strangely distorted forms out lined in the glare. I saw the group on the steps fall apart as if cleaved by a , tongue of flame; O'Brfen leaped back into the shadow. and the sergeant fell like stone. striking me as he went down and driving me back against the frame of the door, An instant was dazed, stupefed. Then heard the mad yell. of the Confederacy and knew the truth. We were attacked, ambush ed. routed; our only hope the getting under cover.
 S"To the house, men, the housew I shouted, my voice louder than the tu- mutt. Leave your horses and make for the housew
 They came with the rush of terror, leaping. stumbling up the steps and struggling into the hall. How many came, how many remained behind I could not tell; two fell on the porch and one still, alive. but helpless, block ed the doorway There was a crash of shots. a smudge of figures below; O'Brien grasped the fellow and flung him within. and slammed the door, sliding the heavy bolt into its socket. Z Bullets crashed into the door. There were yells without and the sound of feet on the porch:
 Unto the rooms, men And return the fire from the windoysr I com handed O'Brien. take charge at the rightl Here, you fellows, come with mel, .-
 saw O'Brien dive into the black parlor, dozen troopers following, and leaped, through the open library door, blowing out the light upon the table, then flinging myself on the floor as crept to the front windows. How many were with mel was unable to de termine, yet could hear them as they stumbled forward through the dark ness Nor were we in position a mo | ment too soon. Already hands with out were wrenching aside the shutter. and the butt of carbine sent show CT of shattered glass into my face. There was dim figure visible, and l fired. the fellow staggering back with l an oath, his gun clattering on the {! porch. There followed sharp spit ting of carbines on either side, the fellows shooting recklessly, the light l of discharge revealing retreating fig ures without, the heavy smoke chok- i ing us.
 An occasional shot, fired apparently from some distance. chugged against the front door, but as this was of solid oak little damage was being done. 1 and there was no need for extinguish- i ing the dim light still burning at: the rear of the hall. I found just inside the door the bodies of two dead: sol diers and four men wounded. one so seriously sd as to be helpless. As
 their comrades crawfed forth from the rooms on either side counted four
 teen fit for duty. This number should 1 prove sufficient for the defense of the
 lower story, and hastily assigned
 them, two by two, to points where it
 seemed to me they might prove most
 useful, giving them careful instruc- l ton and making them realize that
 their lives depended on vigilance.
 For the first time since the crash of
 that opening volley now had a mo-
 ment for reflection and sat down on
 the stairs, my mind busted in an en-
 deavor to comprehend the situation.
 Those who had attacked us would be either Dunn's squad of Confederates
 or Donald's irregulars. perhaps both. | If Dunn was in command without
 I did not anticipate anything in the
 nature of reckless attack. Nothing
 had yet seen of Calvert Dunn had i'm | pressed me with either his courage or
 his capacity, and the almost total ces-
 sation of firing told of weakness either in numbers or command. It seemed to
 me an energetic leadership would
 have stormed the house before we could have arranged for its defense.
 I drew my breath quickly, suddenly
 possessed by new fear What about
 Big Donald? What about the secret passage? If he had escaped it would
 put new face on everything.
 Donald might still be in the house,
 but I had less fear of his resistance than of sudden. murderous attack by