Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1915-11-12

We sat there for half an hour dis
cussing the matter and endeavoring
to convince ourselves the danger was
less than We imagined. There was
nothing to be done but wait for day.
light. Finally Fox crept forth again
to make another round Of the pickets.
to assure himself they were alert, and
before he returned had fallen asleep.
The chill of the night awoke me,
cold and shivering. The wind had
arisen and swept down the funnel in
which lay with an icy breath against
which my single blanket afforded no
protection. The man who had been
lying next me was gone, and so there
must have been a change of guard
while / slept. / could distinguish,
dimly outlined against the sky, the
overhanging rockwell which inclosed
our camp, and the deeper shade of a
cleft yard or two to my left. where
the dead trunk of tree stood like
gaunt. ugly sentinel
AS lay staring the figure of a man
slipped out from behind its protec-
ton and. dropping on hands and
knees, crept forward across the open
space. Another and another followed,
mere ghostlike shadows, scarcely ap-
pearing real For the instant / doubt
ed my eyesight. imagined I dreamed.
Then, before l could raise voice in
alarm, rife spat viciously, the red
flame Of its discharge cleaving the
night. A fusillade followed and in the
fare I caught grotesque glimpses of
men leaping forward, and there was
confused yelling of voices. din of
noise.
was upon my knees, revolver in
hand. but in the melee below could
not distinguish friend from foe-alike
they were a blur of figures, one in
slant visible. the next obscured. Yet
there could be no doubt as to the final
ending of the struggle. Taken by sur
prise. outnumbered, the little squad of
troopers would be crushed, annihilat-
ed. Nor was there reason why
should sacrifice myself in their defense
"a valueless sacrifice. My choice was
instantly made, as there flashed to my
mind what my fate would be il !
ever fell into Cowan's hands attired in
E,deyal uniform.
On hands and knees l crept to the
cleft In the rock wall and began to
Chamber up over the irregular rocks.
The shouts and yells. the cries for
mercy. the sound Of blows, grew faint
er and finally ceased altogether. Lean
ing back and looking down could per-
ceive nothing in the black void. A
voice shouted an order. but it sounded
far off and indistinct- l was in a
narrow gully, the incline less steep
than amid the rocks below, and could
perceive the lighter canopy Of the sky
not far above me.
AS l crept out into tho open space
someone touched match to a pile Of
dry limbs in the cove below. and the
red flames leaped high, revealing the
scene. caught glimpse Of it
staring down as though l chung at the
mouth of hell. seeing moving black
figures. and the dark, motionless
shadows of dead men. The one
glimpse was enough. the fearful
tragedy of it shifting me like blow,
and turned and ran. stumbling over
the rough ground. my only thought
that of escape.
There were stars in the sky, their
dim light sufficient to yield some faint
guidance My course led me close
beside the edge of the ridge Here
the ground fell away to the banks of
a shallow stream and some instinct of
woodcraft led me to wade down with
its current for a considerable distance,
until the icy water drove me to the
bank once more. knew l had COW
cred several miles and was beyond pur-
suit and si-fe from discovery. l re-
manned there until dawn. the first
gray light giving assurance that my
flight had been to the north along the
foothills. From the ridge top a wide
vista lay revealed of rough. seeming
ly uninhabited country. growing more
distinct as the light strengthened
There was no house visible. no sign of
any road; all about extended rude
mountain solitude, but to the north
west there was perceptible break in
the chain OF hills, as though pass led
down into the concealed valley be-
yond. With this for guidance
plunged forward. eager to get out of
that drear wilderness.
1t was considerably after the noon
hour before ! came upon dismal
shack of logs in the midst of small
clearing. The light streaming in
through the open door revealed that 1t
was unoccupied Yet someone had
been there. and not SO very long ago.
for there were scraps of food on one
of the overturned boxes. Unappetiz-
ing as these appeared. sat down and
ate heartily, then got to my feet and,
closing the door securely behind me.
plowed through the tangle OF weeds
back to the road.
Just before shutdown ! emerged from