The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1912-04-13

along upon the Olner. nut my mlhO
was so filled with the excitement OF
our adventure and all that depended
| upon its successful CulmtGatinn. a.
| scarcely to realize anything other than
the part | must personally play. GOOD
! fortune and auGacity alone could COM
| bine TO win the game We were now en-
gagged upon.
| tall heavily beared mountaineer
stood sQuarely in the middle OF the
road to the north of the piCket-tire.
| could make out but little Of him as
the light shone, excepting that he
wore a high coonskin cap and bore
| long rife.
Stop right thar" he called out
hoarsely. upon hearing US. Who are
you uns?"
| AS he challenged. dozen others
| sprang up from about the fame and.
guns in hand. came toward us on .
| run.
we uns are doggoned tired O. SOL
dierin'. an a gittin' nuthin fer It." I
said in the slow Southern drawl. AN
wanter jine yer gang, pervidin' thar's
any show fer it"
| How many are ye?" asked one OF
the newcomers. stridng forward be-
tween US and the sentry.
"A right smart heap O bunch: bin
pickin' o 'em up ever since we left
Charlotte" / returned evasively.
They be handles ter fight. an
reckon as how ye kin use EN-. can't
ye?"
Maybe; who did ye want ter seer?
| Wal, they sed as how a Teller
named Lowrie wus runnin this yere
gang. an if thet's Their way o 1t. |
/ reckon as how it's Lowrie we're after
Be you Lowrie?"
Nav"
The answer was so gruff and short.
and the fellow hesitated so long in
adding anything to it, began to think
it was all off.
WAL" he consented to say at last.
ungraciously, thar's blame pile o
We kim in lately, an | calculate we got
| bout 'nough fer our business, but I
reckon as how Red will use ye some
whar Anyhow you uns kin come
| long with me an find out. but yen
diskiver him bout Their ornerest man
| jst now ever We run up again. He's
plum mad, Red is, fer sartain."
He turned and strobe off, without SO
much as giving us backward glance.
and. with a hearty congratulatOry kick
to the mule. l and my company fol-
lowed him. A hundred yards further
in we passed through the fringe OF
trees and emerged into an open space
from whence We could see plainly the
great white house still illumined BY
the flames which continued to con-
sumo the stables. Shots were fash
ing like fireflies out of the darkness
on every side of us, the smell of burn
ing powder scented the air. and |
could distinguish the black forms OF
men lying prone on the grass in some
thing resembling a skirmish line.
MAXIM a fight O. 1t, amt they?"
asked OF our taciturn guide. as we
picked our way carefully among the
recumbent forms.
Damn 'em. yes. a hell O. fight"
he admitted bitterly.
Just beyond musket-shot from the
house, and nearly opposite the front
entrance. quite a group Of men were
standing beneath the black shadows OF
a grove of trees In spite of the CLEAN
from the fire l could make little OF
them, but as We approached from the
direction of the rear, one OF them ex-
claimed suddenly:
who comes thar? What body o
men is theft"
Its mother party O. deserters. a.
wants ter jine u.s." said the guide.
sourly "They's Johnnies from Lees
army"
"Oh. they dew. dew they? Who's
Their boss O this yere crOwd?"
swung down from my seat on tho
mules back, and stood facing him. AZ
he advanced.
I'VE uns hain't got no boss" I an
swered, but they sorter fell In ahind
O. me cause wus astraddle o this
muel Be you named Lowrie?"
Il reckon; I'm Red Lowrie." proud
ly "'Spect, maybe. we've heerd tell
O. me, an If ye hev. We know we've got
ter step damn lively whin | howl.
Whut wus We in Their army?"
Corporal
The flames of the burning barn
leaped suddenly upward, as Ii fed by
some fresh combustion, and flung a
brighter glare over the rough faces
clustered about us. | saw Red Low
rie plainly enough now. as he peered
eagerly forward to scan my face.
heavy-set, coarse-featured man. with
prominent nose, and thick. matted red