Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1915-09-23

far off and indistinct. ! was in
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 | crept out into the open space
someone touched a match to 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 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 l 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
shallow stream and some instinct OF
woodcraft led me to wade down with
it's current for 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 safe from discovery. l re-
NAMED 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
1y uninhabited country, growing more
distinct as the light strengthened.
There was no house visible, no sign OF
any road; all about extended a rude
mountain solitude, but to the north
west there was a perceptible break IN
the chain of hills, as though pass led
down into the concealed valley be-
yond. With this for guidance l
plunged forward, eager to get out OF
that drear wilderness.
1t was considerably after the noon
hour before l came upon a dismal
shack of logs in the midst of small
clearing. The light streaming in
through the open door revealed that it
was unoccupied. Yet someone had
been there and not SO very long ago,
for there we're scraps Of food on one
of the overturned boxes. Unappetlz-
ing as these appeared, l 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 I emerged from
the narrow gap and looked down into
the broad valley, of the Green Brian.
It was a scene to linger in the men,
DRY, and at my first glance I knew
where I was, recognizing the familiar
objects outspread before me. Lewis
burg lay beyond a spur of hills, invis-
ible from my position, although dis
tant spirals of smoke indicated it's
presence A few log huts appeared
along the curving road, the one near
est me in ruins, while a gaunt chin
ney beside broad stream unbridged
was all that remained of former mill.
Beyond. this, in midst of a grove of
noble trees, large house, painted
white, was the only conspicuous feat
ture in the landscape. I recognized
it at once as the residence of Major
HarwOod
My gaze rested upon it, as memory
of the man, and his fate, surged fresh
ly back into mind. The place had
been spared destruction; it remained
unchanged--but from that distance it
had the appearance of desertion. This
condition was no particular surprise,
for Harwood's daughter, scarcely more
than a girl to my remembrance, would
doubtless be with friends, either in
Lewisburg or Charleston; and that
the mansion, thus deserted, still re-
NAMED undestroyed was, after all, not
so strange, for the majors standing
throughout that section would protect
his property.
l moved on down the steep descent,
losing sight of the house as the road
twisted about the hill, although mem