Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1912-08-15

operative. hut know knelt
kissed her hand and then backed FL
the room, my eyes upon her to the ID
slipped down the stairs. aroIs
and alert. determined to make OF val
every remaining moment O'Brta
his carbine grasped in one hand. ops
ed the door silently. and took b
quick glance without. The porchsa
the walk below appeared deserted.
Where are the horses?"
"1oied to the rail at the north ei
| of the porch"
Good choice There are but Re
windows on that side. Give me 70
revolver. Have you cartridges T.
Half 4 pocketfui. sor.'
We crept forth. closing the door b
hind US. and stole along under COW
of the rail to the north steps. whid
led down to the carriage way. II
two horses snorted and drew BAG
startled by our sudden appearance.
had my grip on the rein Of the b
roam. when O'Brien. who had steppe
| farther out to unfasten the other IN
NAL, uttered sudden exclamation
alarm. sprang back to where coul
see what he was staring at down Ii
roadway. A troop Of horsemen WEI
emerging from a ravine to the left IN
| trotting toward the open gate.
glance told me they were Confederate
and that they were spreading out, "a
fashion, so as to surround the house
We were not thirty feet In advaiss
of those squirting troopers. The drsI
two rounding the house corner saw ul
but before they could throw forward
their carbines we had plunged into th}
shadow Of the vines, running reckless|
| ~. A shot or two. fired without aim|
only served to increase our pace, our
only hope being to cross the orchard
before others attained the rear OF thd
house. Beyond that point the weedl
offered concealment.
Had we been given minute more
we would have made It. Running az
most shoulder to shoulder. recklesslyl
not even pausing to glance back
ward, we were within 100 feet OF the
weeds, when horsemen swept about
the end of the big tobacco barn, firing
as they came and squirting their
mounts desperately in an attempt to
head us OF.
1.-THE flrst cabin, O'Brien! We can
make that before they turn"
1t was nip and tuck. the surprised
troopers wheeling their horses q
though on pivots and digging In thu
spurs in mad endeavor to get be
tween us and our haven.
O'Brien fell once, tripped or shot,
know not, but was Instantly upon hia
feet again. was first over the TIRES
hold. stumbling as made It, and fall
Ing forward on the puncheon door. a
rain Of bullets crashed into tho oppo
site wall, and. as l struggled to my
knees, caught glimpse Of the cir
cling horsemen without and Of O'Brier
crouching beside the door, his carhtns
working viciously. It was all instan
taneous, and 1 rolled over, kicked til,
heavy oaken door shut and dropped
the bar into it's socket.
1t was single room cabin, Its oni,
| window boarded up, so very little lign
found entrance. came face to fac,
with woman, fronting me with gul
In hand.
"Who be yer-Yanks? ?"
EYES," acknowledged.
who's them fellers af.er yer?"
"Rebs, OF course"
Nnonald,S o11tfit2S az
II expect so-either his guerillas o
Dunn's cavalry"
Thin ye kin count us In. Yank. al
out, Daniel, an kiver tibet winder."
A boy Of thirteen, sallow and thin
with stopped shoulders. but firm se
jaw, crawled out from the bed and
long rifle in hand. clambered up 4
where he could peer through betweel
the boards. Quickly he pushed til
brown barrel out, sighted along II ant
pulled the trigger.
''Thet's one Of 'em. ma" he sal,
rather YEARLY. expectorating Tobacco
Juice on the door.
Keep 'em a-movin'. Daniel. Ben
jamin, whah be yep
"Yere, ma
wal, git out long with tibet 5isge
ct ther door Col dern yer. mover
She caught him by one ear, younl
err edition of the same lanky type, an,
landed him in the center Of the door.
/ Rubbing his eyes with the sleeve o
his shirt. the lad shufled over towar,
O'Brien. began to understand Til
situation. to appreciate these new n
cruits. Woman and children then ha,
been brought up in the atmosphere 0
war and were not to be despised a
allies.
You are Maria Daniels. imagine2
II reckon ! am. stranger" one ham
on her hip and chin advanced.
''Your husband is in the neighbor
hood somewhere. Mrs. Daniels has
tened to say. Il saw him less thai
half an hour ago in the house yondel
He left by way Of secret passage