Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1913-08-20

It's battle, surel' he said. An
Sheridan away, the divil only knows
where. Begob. they must have attack
ed BY surprise before the screech O.
dawn, judgin' from Y.
who has attacked Who. \ Is sur.
prised e demanded Kerchival with fu-
rious impatience. ..s=S.
The inimy has attacked us, sor, an,
what's more, they seem to be drivin'
things before 'em. By the direction Of
the flrin' It should be our left flank
they have pounced upon instead Of the
right, where they were dacintly ex-
pected. Sure, thin rebels have no POI
likeness n0how' $=
DO you mean to say our troops are
falling back :" @
By Well, sor, l did hear some cavalry
gallopin' down the pike. but whether
It was ours or theirs or only Mosby's
g0rillas, that can't tell yez."
Then I'll 60 and find out for, my.
self" Kerchival cried fiercely. making
a move into the hallway for his hat.
The sudden exertion proved too much
Tor him, and he sank into a chair,
clutchlng with one hand at his breast.
'Hark! There is the firing again,
worse than ever, and it Is coming
nearer" said Gertrude. unconscious Of
a certain exultation in her tone. IF
General Longstreet only has-I mean.
II really he''-
HE can never drive General Sheri-
dan back-of that l am certain" spoke
up Madeline with unwonted spirit. ..
LET us go-oh, pardon me, Gertrude
ladies' beg" said Kerchival, start
ing up, then at once seating himself
again. =
But they all had risen, as impatient
as he was. and hurried out.
Kerchival and Gertrude took the
path up the elevation to where the big
cottonwood tree overlooked the valley
Jenny and Madeline fingered on the
veranda.
"Go on, 60 on!' muttered Kerchivai,
instinctively feeling for his sword and
looking loweringly in the direction
from which came the roar Of the
guns. Flight to a finish and have it
over. Keep the battle to yourselves.
I'm out of it,
"Kerchival," said Gertrude. ''your
sister Madeline says that now she
must pray for the man she loves, enc
my or no enemy"
"And she is right. Anything else
would be worse than treason. l can't
pray. Can you. Gertrude?"
eyes. All. Kerchivalv'
He leaned against the tree. his hand
clutching at his breast again.
"Your wound! Let me call the sur
geon, Kerchival.''
wound! ! have no wound to bother
about now. You love me?'
look! There are soldiers running
through the woods. Oh, what shall
we do?'
The firing, very close now, was
faster and more furious than ever. It
seemed to have given Kerchival West
new breath of life.
: 'Never mind thatv' he cried delirious.
~. Its only battle! Say that you
love me!''
"Be quiet, Kerchival, dear. do love
you. ! said so last night before every
one, only you didn't hear me. / said
the same thing at Charleston when
first we met. And some one | told
wrote 1t in letter-that letter which
General Buckthorn gave you and told
you not to read nnlesn | became un-
ruly. l am not unruly, am l, dear2"
"No, my precious girl! Nothing can
separate us now. That letter"-he
searched in his pockets, but could not
find II. "Ah. remember! They must
have taken it when was laid out by
Thornton's dagger. And-a miniature
had-that's gone too!'
Josephus Orangeblossom on a mule
without saddle dashed up from the
direction of the pike, shouting:
Miss Gertrude, Marse Bob he done
get gyard aroun' dis house, but faint
no use now, for de Yanks is runnin'
away. Yves got 'em licked. missy; we
sho' hasy' 49,.
"Begob. the naygur's right" con-
frlned Sergeant Barket. 1.-THE gray
back divils have sprung up out of the
ground. They're pourin' over our lift
flank like Noah's own food. Our camp
Is wined out. an they've got our guns
an wagons an wounded an prison.
ers, an the whole Union army is
a-startin' to beat it down the pike for
Winchester. worse luck! Colonel West.
yonder Is your own regiment In full
retrate!'
MY regiment" roared> Kerchival,
jumping up. "Great God, no! Get my
horse, Barket! I'll stop that or
Eyer harse, is it? Hooroo! I'm wild
ye, colonel! There's a row at Finne-
CAMS ball, an we're goin' to be in it,"
"Kerchival," pleaded Gertrude. throw
ing her arms around him, you must
not go! You may be dying!'
dying nothing! I'm all right now,
Gertrude, my life! My regiment won't
retreat any farther unless it retreats
over my dead body!' ~-.
Heres yer horse, colonel! Now give
me that mule, ye black contraband
naygur! called Barket, wild with Joy,
to the rolling eyed Josephus. 49,
"Goodby, Gertrude, darling! Tell
Madeline! Pray for us!" s~~
And two flying figures hurled them
selves down the hillside into the roar
ing maelstrom of battle that filled the
valley. H.
ITO be continued)