Gunnison news-champion., 1912-08-16
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~ their yossag liea;esAst sounding
above the up~osr Buf our Dsa vsrs
bet~een the TIVE. . compact body,
each kordermaa aGhfiaG ina.psaAsuA
ly. but kno~inG the game. I hsasd -
word u command. no shout os airsc
sion trom either Earssl - Bnsval y~e
we ripped them asandsr With sweep
inG rise bufts. and almost bsssre Z
could catch . second breath. the fev
who remained ON their feet we're help
iessly trapped Farren sac 1t was ~
over and his whistle sounded aGaia.
stilling the uproar. Up to that mo
ment he Was beside me; with the
echoing Of the shrill blast he had dis
appeared
u was Duyal who emerged from the
wreck Of the train. demanding ssrrea-
der.
Who commands here" he shouted
SPEAK up quick
There was hesitancy. and then out
of the black mass huddled against the
bank ] recognized Grants voice.
u suppose ! do: has any one seen
Captain Delavan2"
"He fell at the FIRST FIRE, SIR" an
swered some one haskily
Grant stepped forth into the moon.
light. bareheaded. his sword In hand
Then ! am the senior oHheer." he
announced. his voice shaking slightly
Who are you9"
"Gemden minute men. DO you sur.
render"
He took q long breath, glancine
about at the dark shadows. Some one
held . lighted torch. the red fame
casting a sudden CLEAN over the sur
rounding faces. II was clear that
further Resistance was useless, yet
Grant temporized.
Are you in command'"
NO" said Duval; but I represent
the commander"
Il deal with the one responsible in
this AFFAIR and demand terms. Who
is your leader?"
Duvsl smiled. turning his head in
quirinely.
'1 don't think you have much
choice" he commented Aryly. How.
ever. perhaps you are not too psoud 10
talt to a regular Who outranks you
] present Major I4Avrsacs, q the Coz
tinsatai Lins.'
Surprised ~ I was ~ bslaG thus
sHAdealy thrust f0rward into supreme
authority. ! as instantly understood
the purpose, and steppsd to the front
Grant stared at my face in the CLEAN
of the smoking torch, almost -
though he looked upon . ghost.
"You!"
Certainly, Captain. II 10 Q pleas
ure to meet with you again, especially
under such happy circumstances. But
my men are becoming impatient. Do
you surrender"
Under what terms" he parleyed
None. bue We are not savages. You
will be treated as prisoners of war"
His hatred of me made him obsti
nate, but the utter helplessness Of
their position was too apparent to be
ignored. A Hessian muttered some
thing in German, and Grant dropped
the point of his sword with an oath
Good" l said promptly. 'Iieuten,
ant, have your men disarm the pris
oners"
There was no resistance, and tho
militiamen herded them against the
bank, encircled by a heavy guard.
Duval singled out the oficers from
/ among the Others, and brought them
| forward to where l stood There were
1 but three-Grant and two Hessians
I looked at them keenly, recalling the
slight figure of the young lieutenant
1 with the boys voice. Could the lad
I have been shot or what had become
of him?
Are you three all that are left ?"
/ ! questioned bluntly. who command
/ ed the Vanguard"
The two Hessians looked at each
! other stupidity. and I asked the ques-
1 ton again before Grant saw fit to re-
! ply. His manner was excessively in
solent
That is more than I know We
joined after dark. and did not meet
/ Deiavan's officers"
He vas vat you call maype a vol
unteer leftenant." added one of the
Germans brokenly. AT Mount Holly
we met. yah. and from there he
joined"
Not one of Delavan's men then ."
Il dink not: he vas Light Dragon.
] haf the wagon guard-the first vag-
ons-an' see him there. Mine Gott'
he come pack vid his mems all right
slash, shoot-his horse rear up; that
vas the last | see already"
The lad got away. with three 9th
ers. sir" broke in a new voice at my
back. They wheeled and rode
through us. across the water We
thought the horse guard would get
them over there. but ] guess they
didn't: anyhow there was no firing
The fellows must have turned in un
der the bank. and rode like he'll |"
Satisfied as to this incident and nor
altogether regretful that the boy had
thus escaped. ! held . short consulta
tiee with Duval. seeking explanation
as to why the command had been SO