The Eureka sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1902-current, 1912-08-17

the room. my eyes pom her to the last
| slipped down the stairs. aroused
and alert. determined to make OF value
every remaining moment. O'Brien.
his carbine grasped in one hand. open
ed the door silently. and | took n
quick glance without. The porch and
the walk below appeared deserted.
"Wher are the horses:"
"Toied to the rail at the north end
of the porch"
Good choice. There are but few
windows on that side. Give me your
revolver. Have you cartridges?'
Half n pocketful. sor."
We crept forth. closing the door be
hind US. and stole along under cover
OF the rail to the north steps. which
led down to the carriage way. The
two horses snorted and drew back.
had my grip on the rein of the big
roam. when O'Brien. who had stepped
farther out to unfasten the other ami
NAL. uttered a sudden exclamation of
alarm. I sprang back to where I could
see what be was staring at down the
roadway. A troop of horsemen were
emerging from a ravine to the left and
trotting toward the open gate. A
glance told me they were C~onfederates
and that they were spreading out. fan
fashion. so as to surround the house.
We were not thirty feet in advance
Of those squirting troopers. The first
two rounding the house corner saw US,
but before they could throw forward
their carbines we had plunged into the
shadow Of the vines. running reckless
~. A shot or two. fred without aim.
only served to increase our pace, our
only hope being to cross the orchard
before others attained the rear of the
house. Beyond that point the weeds
offered concealment.
Had we been given a minute more
we would have made It Running al
most shoulder to shoulder. recklessly.
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.
The first cabin. O'Brienl We can
make that before they turn"
1t was nip and tuck, the surprised
troopers wheeling their horses az
though on piyots and digging in ths
spurs In a mad endeavor to get be-
tween us and our haven.
O'Brien fell nee, tripped or shot. /
know not. but was instantly upon his
feet again. / was first over the thres-
hold. stumbling as / made 1t. and fall
ing forward on the puncheon floor. A
rain of bullets crashed into the oppo-
site wall, and. as l struggled to my
knees, / caught a glimpse of the cir
cling horsemen without and of O'Brien
crouching beside the door, his carhine
working viciously. 1t was all instan-
taneous. and l rolled over, kicked the
heavy oaken door shut and dropped
the bar into its socket.
1t was a single room cabin, its only
window boarded up, so very little light
found entrance. l came face to face
with a woman. fronting me with gun
in hand.
"Who be y~er-Yanks?
"Yes," i acknowledged.
who's them fellers after yer?"
"Rebs, Of course"
"Donald's OUTFIT"
81 expect so-either his guerillas o.
Dunn's cavalry"
Thin we kin count US in. Yank. Gil
out, Daniel, an kiver tibet winder."
A boy of thirteen. sallow and thin
with stopped shoulders. but firm sci
jaw. crawled out from the bed and
long rife in hand. clambered up tc
where he could peer through between
the boards. Quickly he pushed the
brown barrel out. sighted along 1t and
pulled the trigger.
'"Thet's one of 'em, ma" he said
rather YEARLY. e~xpectorating tobacco
Juice on the floor.
Keep 'em a-movin', Daniel. Ben,
jamin. whah be yep
"Yere, ma"
"wal. git out long with tibet jigger
ct Their door. Col dern yer. novel"
She caught him by M ear. a young.
er edition Of the same lanky type, and
landed him in the center of the floor.
Rubbing his eyes with the sleeve of
his shirt. the lad shuffied over toward
O'Brien. l began to understand the
situation. to appreciate these new re-
cruits. Woman and children then had
been brought up in the atmosphere of
war and were not to be despised as
allies.
you are Maria Daniels. I imagine?"
81 reckon l am. stranger" one hand
on her hip and chin advanced.
"Your husband is In the neighbor-
hood somewhere. Mrs. Daniels" | has,
tened to say. II saw him less than
half an hour ago in the house yonder.
He left by way of a secret passage.
He had heard of your plight and was
seeking you. He even went to Dom
aid to learn the truth"