The Holly chieftain., 1916-04-21

ment aotioniess, the ground uottea
with the dead; then tried again. There
was a roar of musketry. the crack Of
rifles; bullets chugged into the logs.
and came crashing through the win
| dows. Glass showered upon us. and
the man next mo went over like . log;
someone struck mo across the face
with Q bloody hand. and . shot splin-
tered the stock Of my gun. numbine
my arm to the shoulder. gripped
another weapon out Of the stinen-
ing fingers OF the man on the Aoor.
firing again blindly into the smoke
cloud. For an instant could see
nothing but that white vap0r tinged
with red and yellow flame: then some
breath of air swept 1t aside. and the
attackers were drifting back. running
and stumbling.
Stop firing!" cried, they've had
enough. Pass the word to those men
at the door,"
The fight at the front held longer.
yet 1t was scarcely five minutes when
the last gun cracked. and a strange
silence took the place of that hideous
uproar. For an instant not even a cry
from the wounded broke the stiffness.
the men leaning out OF the windows
watching the disorganized retreat.
Then someone gave an exultant yell.
and voice after voice caught 1t up. the
old church echoing to the wild battle
cry of the South.
STEADY. men. steady!" shouted Har-
wood from the door of the vestibule.
his voice cleaving the din like the
blade Of knife. This Is only the
first act. Load!"
The light of the moon streamed
in through the south windows. reveal
ing the overturned benches. the NOV.
ing figures along the walls, the smoke
cloud drifting upward to the rafters.
The lieutenant picked his way down
the narrow aisle. He was bareheaded
and coatless, and even in that dim
light could perceive dark stain. like
oozing blood. on the front of his shirt
"You are wounded?" exclaimed.
Nothing to worry over" he re-
piled easily, his eyes laughing. "a
mere touch in the shoulder, which,
however. has put my left arm out OF
commission. All! fair cousin!" and
he held up his hand in sudden greet
ing. I'VE who are about to die salute
YOU"
do not say that" she pleaded.
Surely the victory is ours"
"Ay! we win the first round. but>it
has cost heavily. l doubt II we have
such luck again. What less have you,
Wyatt?"
1.-TWO wounded and one killed."
answered soberly. 1--WE had Cowan's
guerrillas to meet out there"
"Yes. know; the infantrymen
stormed the 'front.' and the troopers
peppered the side windows. Wharton
has three down, while they got FIVE
of my lads. The front doors are
fairly riddled. They'll consolidate
next time, trust to the weight Of num-
bers. and break through. They respect
US now. but we haven't licked the
fight out of them by long chalk. I'm
going to take three of your men,"
He whispered word to her, some
good-natured pleasantly, thought, as
he bowed over her hand as though
they parted in gay parlor; then
turned laughing away, and picked his
passage down the aisle, a slender.
debonair figure, whistling q gay camp
tune. stared after him, scarcely able
to comprehend such gay-spirited reck.
lessness, when he stopped suddenly,
and faced about.
do what you can for your wound.
ed, Wyatt" he called back. his voice
instantly serious. "and keep my fair
cousin out Of the ruck."
Several figures Tell In behind him As
he went forward-the men he had
asked for from Wharton and O'Hare-
all disappearing within the blackness
Of the vestibule. Leaving one man
alone posted at each opening, l had
the others of my small company bear
the two wounded men to the farther
corner. making them as comfortable
as possible. The dead man was laid
out on one of the benches, and then
the three selected for that duty were
sent to Join the lieutenant. This de-
pletion Of force left me window to
defend alone against the second at.
tack, the opening to the left of the
pulpit, next to the corner in which lay
the wounded men and the prisoner.
As crossed the platform and took