The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1913-07-05

was young fellow, wearing a gray
artillery jacket, with Ugh cavalry
Dootc coming above the knees. no.
ticed his firmly set jaw, and a pearl.
handled revolver stuck carelessly In
MS belt. but observed no symbol of
rank about him.
is this Captain Wayne? he asked,
not unpleasantly.
answered by an inclination OF tho
mead, and he turned at once toward
the others.
"Cass. bring three men over here,
and carry this officer to the same
wagon you did the others" he com.
manded Drleny. FIX him comfort.
ably, but be In hurry about It,"
They lifted me In the blanket, one
holding tightly at either corner and
bore me tenderly out into the night.
Once one OF them ripped over a pro-
)ecting root, and the sudden jar of his
stumble shot spasm of pain through
me, which caused me to cry out even
through my clinched teeth.
Pardon me, lads" painted,
ashamed OF the weakness, but It
slipped out before could help it."
Don't be after q mentionin' ay II,
yer honor" returned q rich brogue.
Sure an me feet got 40 mixed oup
that wondher I didn't drap ye On.
toirely"
III We had. Cheney" said the man
named Cass, grimly. II reckon as how
the Colonel would have drapped YOU"
AT the foot Of narrow ravine lead.
ing forth into the broader valley. we
came to q covered army wagon, to
which four mules had been already at.
tached. The canvas was drawn aside,
and l was lifted up and carefully de-
posted In the hay that thickly covered
the bottom. 1t was GO intensely dark
within | could see nothing of my i'm.
mediate surroundings. but low moan
told me there must be at least one
other wounded man present. Outside
heard the tread of horses hoofs, and
then the sannd of Mosby's voice.
Jake" he said. "drive rapidly, but
with as much care as possible. Take
the lower road after you cross the
bridge, and you will meet with no pa,
trolls. We will ride beside you for q
couple of miles"
Then a hand thrust aside the can.
vas, and face peered In. caught
faint glimmer Of stars. but could
distinguish little else.
Boys" said the leader. kindly. II
wish might give you better transpor.
tation, but this is the only form OF We.
hicle We can find. reckon you'll get
pretty badly bumped over the road
you are going. but I'm furnishing you
all the chance to get away In my DOW.
er. We shall guard you as long az
necessary, and then must leave you
to the kindly ministrations of the
driver
He reached in. leaning down from
his saddle to do so. drew the blanket
somewhat closer about me, and was
gone. l caught the words of q sharp.
short order, and the heavy wagon
lurched forward, its wheels bumping
over the Irregularities In the road.
each Jolt sending a fresh spasm of
pain through my tortured body.
May the merciful God ever protect
me from such a ride again! 1t seemed
interminable. while each long mile
we Travelled brought with it new and
greater agony Of mind and body.
The hours that followed were all
but endless. l knew We had reached
the lower valley. for the road became
more level. yet the slightest jolting
now was sufficient to render me
crazed with pain. and l had lost all
power OF restraint. My tortured
nerves throbbed; the fever gripped
me. and my mind began to wander.
Visions OF delirium came, and I
dreamed dreams too terrible for rec.
ord: demons danced ON the drifting
clouds before me, while whirling say.
ages chanting In horrid discord stuck
my frenzied body full OF blazing
brands. AT times ! was awake, call.
Ing In vain for water to Quench a
thirst which grew maddening, then
lapsed into a semi-consciousness that
drove me wild with its delirious fan.
cles. | knew vaguely that the Major
had crept back through the darkness
and passed his strong arm gently be-
meath my head. l heard him shouting
IN his deep voice to the driver for
something to drink, but was unaware
OF any response. All became blurred,
confused, bewildering. thought It
was my mother comforting me. The
faint gray daylight stole In at last
through the cracks of the wagon
cover; | could dimly distinguish q
dark face bending over me, framed by
q heavy f'ray beard. and then, merciful
unconsciousness came, and I rested
as one dead.
(TO BE CONTINUED.)