Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1912-03-28
estimate Of the number engaged wa

not greatly overdrawn. AS We topped
the summit of the hill a great burst
OF red fire leaped suddenly high into
the sky. 2
Great God. Wayne! we are too
late!" he cried wildly. Those devils
have fired the house"
With fercely throbbing heart
gazed down at the flames far below in
the black valley.
NO" | said with eager relief. 1T is
the stable which is ablaze. See. the
light falls full upon the white side
of the house. Thank Heaven, We are
not too late"
As | sat my horse there. gazing
down upon that scene of black rapine,
unwilling to venture into its midst
until | could formulate some definite
plan o. action, fully a dozen wild
schemes thronged into my brain, only
to be cast aside, one after another, as
thoroughly impracticable.
we shall have to make a dash for
it, and trust in God" said Cation,
guessing at my dilemma.
No" | answered firmly, there
would be no possibility of success in
such a course. Those fellows are old
hands, and have pickets out. See,
Cation, that is certainly a picket-tire
yonder where the road dips. Every
man of us would be shot down before
we penetrated those guard lines and
attained the house. We have got to
reach their inner line some way
through strategy, and even then must
risk being fired upon by u own peo-
pie before we get within cover"
Even as | was speaking | evolved a
plan of acknowledgements it certainly
was, yet, nothing better occurred to
me, and time was golden.
"Ebers," | said, didn't l see an ex-
ira jacket strapped back of your sad.
dle?"
ut is no good" he protested We.
hemently. at vos for der rain come"
"All right; hand it wei to the Lieu
tenant here. Cation, throw that UNI
form coat Of yours into the ditch and
don honest gray for once Sands,
come here. Take your knife and cut
away every symbol of rank on my
jacket; tear 1t off, any way you can"
In another moment these necessary
changes had been accomplished.
Now" | ordered, pile your sabers
there with mine beside the road; then
hobble your horses. all but the mule;
| shall want him"
Does we go der rest Of der way on
foot?" questioned the Sergeant. anx-
iously.
Certainly; and l desire you to re-
member one important thing: let me
do the talking, but If any of you are
asked questions, we are ~deserters from
Hills corps, tired of the war"
"Mein Gott!" muttered the German,
disconsolately. 81 hope it vos not long
off, Captain; | an no good on foot In
der dark, by Chiminy."
You had better manage to keep up
tonight, unless you are seeking to
commit suicide. Now, men, mark me
carefully! Load your carbines. Are
you all ready? Sergeant, see that each
man has his gun properly charged and
capped. You are to carry your arms
as thoroughly concealed as possible;
keep close to me always: obey my or
ders instantly, and to the letter. We
are but twenty men pitted against
over two hundred, remember, and
when we strike, it must be both quick
and hard"
| mounted the mule, counted the
dim figures in the darkness. and then
gave the order to march. AS we
moved slowly down the hill | was
aware that Cation walked upon one
side of me, while Bungay plodded
along upon the other; but my mind
was so filled with the excitement OF
our adventure and all that depended
upon its successful elimination, as
scarcely to realize anything other than
the part | must personally play. Good
fortune and audacity alone could com
bine to win the game we were now en-
gagged upon.
A tall heavily beared mountaineer
stood ~squarely in the middle Of the
road to the north Of the picket-fire.
| could make out but little of him as
the light shone, excepting that he
wore a high coonskin cap and bore a
long rife.
stop right thar" he called out
hoarsely, upon hearing us. Who are
you uns?"
AS he challenged, a dozen others
sprang up from about the fame and,
guns in hand, came toward us on a
run. 4
I'VE uns are doggoned tired O. sol
dierin', an a gittin' nuthin' fer it." l
said in the slow Southern drawl, IAN
wanter jine yer gang. pervidin' thar's
any show fer it."
How many are ye?" asked one OF
the newcomers, striding. forward be-
tween us and the sentry.
"a right smart heap O. a bunch; bin
a pickin' O. 'em up ever since we left
Charlotte" / returned e%vasively.
"They be dandies ter fight, an l
reckon as how ye kin use 'em. can't
YET"