Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1912-07-11


mind quickly what / should tell.
When I frst got In here Big Donald
ana two other Confederate officers were
present and was made captive by
trick. Later I was left under guard
OF the women while the men went aft
or squad to take nue. into the rebel
lines. In the meanwhile there were
some strange happenings here Two
men were mysteriously killed"
!. KILLED? How7"
by knife thrust In tho throat. In
fear for their own lives the ladies' re-
leased me- but we have searched tho
house without finding trace Of the muir
derer. Ono body was removed, but the
other lies yonder In the library"
l was outside on the porch, my eyes
by this time somewhat accustomed to
the darkness. The sergeant and
O'Bricn were facing me. while a 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. I 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 roar, blaze Of light, a
rearing Of horses, the stamping OF
hoofs. wild shrek, frightened voices
yelling, strangely distorted forms out
lined In the glare. saw the group on
the steps fall apart as IL cleaved by a
tongue of flame; O'Brien leaped back
into the shadow, and the sergeant fell
like a stone, striking me as he went
down and driving me back against the
franc Of the door. An instant I was
dazed, stupefed. Then I heard the
mad yell Of the Confederacy and knew
the truth. We were attacked, ambush
ed, routed; our only hope the getting
under cover.
ITO the house, men, the house!'' I
shouted, my voice louder than the tn
mutt Leave your horses and make
for the housev'
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 tho doorway. There was crash
Of shots, smudge Of figures below:
O'Brien grasped the fellow and flung
him within, and slammed tho door.
sliding the heavy bolt into its socket
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 windowsv I com
manded. "O'Brten, take charge ct the
right Here. you fellows, come with
mev'
I saw O'Brien dive into the black
parlor, dozen troopers following, and
I leaped through the open library
door. blowing out tho light upon the
table, then ainging myself on the door
as I crept to the front windows. How
many We're with me was unable to de-
termine, yet / could hear them as they
stumbled forward through the dark
ness. Nor were we In position mo-
ment too soon. Already hands with.
out were wrenching aside the shutter.
and the butt Of q carbine sent show
er Of shattered glass into my face.
There was dim figure visible, and
fred, the fellow staggering back with
an oath, his gun Gathering on tho
porch There followed q sharp spit
ting Of carbines on either side, tho
fellows shooting recklessly, the light
Of discharge revealing retreating fig
ures without, the heavy smoke chok-
ing uS.
An occasional shot, hred apparently
from some distance, chugged against
the front door, but as this was Of
solid oak little damage was being Zone,
and there was no need for extinguiEh-
Ing the dim light still burning at the
rear Of tho hall. found Just inside
the door the bodies Of two dead SOL
diers and four men wounded, one %
seriously 30 as to be helpless. Az
their comrades crawled forth from the
rooms on either side I counted four
teen At for duty. This number should
prove sufficient for the defense Of the
lower story, and hastily assigned
them, two by two, to points whore It
seemed to me they might prove most
useful, giving them careful instruc-
ton and making them realize that
their lives depended on vigilance.
For the first time since the crash OK
that opening volley now had 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.
II Dunn was In command without
I did not anticipate anything In the
nature Of a reckless attack. Nothing /
had vet seen Of Calvert Dunn had Inn
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. II seemed to
me an energetic leadership would
have stormed the house before we
could have arranged for its defense.
/ drew my breath quickly, suddenly
possessed by new fear. What about
Big Donald7 What about the aacret