Year: 1867




headed perfectly but when, upoI
this occasion, he received the addi
tional instructions to stake gss6
care of the horses" he interpreted
them literally. In three minutes af
ter receiving his instructions. he had
both the aaimals unsaddled and un-
bridled, aed up to the manger in Che
barn, andseating gresdily from farm
er DarrelPs oats, which had in some
way escaped the prying eyes OF our
forage Meanwhile the Ad-
jutant sat tste-a-tete in the parlor with
his hostess, enjoying her converse
ton immensely, and in blissful ig-
norance of the doings OF his Dutch
orderly, Blissful, indeed His heart
would have leaped to his mouth, and
himself have eolted precipitately for
the barn, had any suspicion of the
truth crossed his mind But no
thought of the kind troubled him,
and aR hour passed pleasantly and
cesily. Then Max came running in,
breathless with excitemsnt, snd re
ported that squad Of horsemen
were in sight, coming toward the
house The Adjutsnt rose from his
chair; Miss Darrell did the same, and
placed hand on each shoulder.


"They are only some of your men
from Winchester she said, ceax-
ingly. "Don't go Lieutenant."


Blake was little disturbed by the
intelligence which the orderly
brought, but still more by the very
entreating way in which the girl
urged him to remain He had never
been pressed 10 prolong his visit be-
fore He was decidedly uneasy.


Il think ! must step outside. Miss
Darrell, and see about this" he said.
He was about to suit the aetien to
the words, when he became aware
that the hands Of the siren were
transferred from his shoulder to his
arms, and the girl herself was cling
ing to him with well simulated dis
tress, while she begged him not to
leave her. 1t would beiso dreadful
if anything shsuld happen to him
theIe. They might perhaps be Con
federates; if they were. they Wouldn't
know he was there if he stayed in
the house. No, ne-he mustn't,
shoaldat go; and although the Ad-
jltant is unable to remember distinct
ly, he thinks that at this juneture of
aHairs lie felt both the hands seme-
where about the back of his neck


He was a cool, clear headed think
ing youth, as well as courageous
one; just the man not to be shern,
Samson like, by the arts Of any De-
lilah He thought he saw trap, and
throwing the girl into corner,
rushed from the house with Max at
his heels. The horses were missing,
and then he became aware for the
first time of the helpless condition
in which the stupidity of Max had
placed them both. Running into the
barn, Eith the orderly close behind
him, ne giaA -ot q fiiJ sItsssas - I'd.
quietly fed at the usnger. Five
minutes, at least, would be required
to saddle and bride them, and get
them into the road. He returned to
the door and looked out. A horse
nan was just entering the yard by
the gate; another was five rods be-
hind him; five more were coming up
the road at a rapid trot. The first
rode directly into the yard, and
stopped ten feet from the barn door.
The keen eye of the Adjutant gave
one comprehensive glance at horse
and rider. The first was magnlfi-
cent Virginia thorough bred, clean
limbed and sinewy; the latter, a
yeung man who sat him like Cen
taur, dressed in the ordinary farm
er's clothes Of the vicinity. He
wore belt under his sack, which
might very easily conceal pistols
He saw the Adjutant and Max stand
ing in the doorway of the barn, sang
cut, "Good day, sir" and put his
hand under his coat.


A man in q corner can do great
deal of thinking in a quarter of a
inmate. Blake had seen some of
Mesby's men as prisoners, and no.
ticed their nonchalaAt, devil may
care carriage, This man had the
same appearance. He observed the
horse, and decided at once that ii
was better aniAal than any farmer
in the neighborhood owned. Ordi-
nary observers Right have seen moth
ing suspicious in the mans appear
ance; Blake was instantly satisfied
that he, was guerrilla.


And if he was, what then?


A great many men would have
found the situation just such as to
Justify an unresistlng surrender
Seven mounted men were opposed to
him; flight was impossible; it seemed
folly and sure destruction to fight
All this, which careful, prudent
minds would have taken thought Of
never occurred to Lieutenant Blake
The experience of three years on the
skirmish and picket lines had taught
him some valuable lessons; and
though he would have fought there
to the last gasp rather than be taken
under such hu1niliating circumstane-
es, his plan formed on the instant
was one ef mixed audaeity and
adroitness.


He had with him two of Colts
navy reyolvers, one in each bootleg
as the staff and caYairy carried them
Before the horseman had time to ut
ter another werd, or withdraw his
hand, Blake discharged one of tht
weapons directly at his breast. The
heavy ball struck him just below the
shoulder; he reeled in his saddle
elutched wildly at his horses name
; and fell, an inert mass, TO the ground
The Ajjutant sprang to the animals
head and grasped the bride befer'