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KB* SUMTER WATCHMAN, Kttablished April, 1850.
flKso?idat?di.u?. 2,1881.
"Be Just and J^ear not-Let alllthe Ends thou Aims't at, be thy Country's, thy God's and Truth's."
THE TRUE SOUTHRON, Established Jone, 1366
SUMTER, S. C., WEDNESDAY, APRIL 4, 1894.
New Series-Yoi. XIII. No. 36.
~ On approaching the Douse ?Baria
caught sight of the horses and men ac
realized what bad happened and wi
happening before she had made ont tl
figure of the loyal old slave chained t
the post ?ne had felt terribly anxiot
about her mother as she came along th
road, and she had grown faint atthougl
of the troubles and perils surroondin
her, bat everything was forgotten th
instant she saw that circle of men. J
was no wonder every man in the gan
looked at her as if spellbound when sh
suddenly appeared in their midst an
cried out to stop ike Baxter's uplifte
arm. As women despise cowardice i
a man, so do men admire anything aj
preaching heroism in a woman. Max
ian rested one hand on the naked shoal
der of the old slave who had trotted be
on his knee as a child a thousand times
and holding the revolver ready for in
atant use in the other, ber slight fon
drawn up, her brown eyes flashing, he
handsome face handsomer than ever be
fore, she demanded:
" Who are you, and what is the mean
, ing of this?"
Every man instinctively fell back t
step or two. Ike Baxter let his arm fall
and no one dared look the gill full ii
the face. For a long half minute ni
one spoke. Then Ike, shifting from om
foot to the other and looking past be:
instead of at her, muttered :
"We uns cum yere to captur' tha
cussed Yankee and pay this nigger of
fur sm ash in my bead last night!"
" Yes, that's what we uns cum fur!'
added two or three others.
Marian deposited her weapon on th?
ground and proceeded to cast off tb?
chain by which Unele Ben was secured
to the post. Some of the men crowded
a little nearer, and some muttered and
cursed, but no one interfered. When
tho slave was free, she signed to him tc
put cn his garments, picked hp the
weapon, and sweeping her eyes around
the circle she said:
" You speak of capturing a Yankee.
Who is be-where is be?"
"Yo* know who we mean, " replied
Ike Baxter, who was recovering his as?
surance sooner than the others. "We
uns want Kenton, that cussed Yankee
spy!"
44Aye, he un's the man!" growled
three or four others.
44And you call him a Yankee-you,
Ike Baxter!" she replied as she stepped
forward to face bim. "He enlisted
when you did. He fought when you
ran away, fie has encountered a score
of dangers to your one. fie bas done
more for tho cause of the south than all
of you combined. When you call bim
a Yankee spy, I call you a cur. and a
coward, and a disgrace to the uniform
you wear!"
CHAPTER XXVI.
The gang had gono far enough-per?
haps too far. Tho Percys were loyal
southerners and people of influence, and
this disgraceful raid, even though made
under a reasonable pretext, might be
sternly rebuked by higher authorities.
Those in citizens* dress were no better
than prowlers; those in uniform had no
authority beyond what Ike Baxter as?
sumed.
As Marian stood facing the crowd,
her face expressing the contempt she
felt and her eyes flashing a menace from
man t*f> man, they began to fall back
toward the horses.
4'Dod rot my skin, but why didn't 1
kill that cussed nigger when I had a
chance?" growled Ike Baxter. 44 Ar' yo'
all goin to let that gal stand ns off in
this way? If she un's hidin that Yan?
kee, then ber's a sympathizer and orter
suffer fur it! I move we shoot the nig?
ger and bum the houses!"
4'We uns won't do anything of the
sort," said the sergeant, now pushing
forward for the first time. "We uns
was sent yere to captur' Kenton and
Brayton, and I reckon t'other things
bad better be left alone. If that gal
. wasn't in the house when yo* all search?
ed it, then wbar did she cum from?"
One of the men replied that he thought
he bad caught sight of her up the road
about five minutes before she appeared
among them, but wasn't sure. Ike Bax?
ter said he bad been following Uncle
Ben up the highway when assaulted,
and it was rightfully concluded that
the fugitives were not a great way off.
Just then they were joined by three
more guerrillas, and the entire gang
headed up the road and were soon out
of sight. As they moved away Uncle
Ben's tears began to fall, .ind he whis?
pered:
44 God bress yo', Miss Sunshine, f ure ber
an fureber fur what yo* dun did fur
me, but I'ze got powerful bad news to
tell yo'!"
44Is mother dead?" she asked as tbe
color went out of her face and her lips
grew white.
*4She was dead when I dun got yere!"
4'Uncle Ben," whispered the girl,
choking back the wails of sorrow which
sought to pass her lips, -"I know you
are st** ff and lame and sore? but I want
you to try to reach the Federal army
and bring help!"
"I hain't burred much-only jest a
leetle bit-an I'll start right off !" he
answered. "I'll go, an I'll keep gwine
till I drap down in my tracks!"
44God grant that you may be in time!"
she prayed as she turned away to enter
the house of the dead, while the old
man lost not a moment in setting out on
his journey down the road.
Let us see how things went on at the
camp. Marian had no sooner left it
than Steve Brayton still farther
strengthened the defenses. The g?pund
t?~fbe south "was fairly clear for
charge, bat in no other direction coal
a body of men make a rush. The cam
was on the crest of a knoll? and no spc
within rifle shot commanded it.
"I rigger jest this way," said Ste?
as he overhauled the ammunition an
saw that both gnus were ready for sen
j ice-"that Ike Baxter was sent dow
i to the house last night to sorter sp
around far Captain Wyle. Uncle Be
didn't smash him hard 'naff, and he a:
crawled back to the boase, got his wif
to fix him ap and then skulked off.
don't reckon he an had far to go. It'
party shore that some of oar compan;
will show ap doorin the day, and ye
kin bet yo'r last mewl that them goer
lilias hain't given np the chase! Befe
noon snnthin's bound to bast!"
"And what wocld yon advise?" aske<
Kenton, seeing that Steve was in doab
; about something.
"Seems to me the situation is abo a
as foilers," replied Steve. "We ar
both Confederates. We've fit in severa
battles. We've bin captured and go
away. We've pat in a heap o' tim?
chawin ap mighty pore rations anc
marcbin up and down the kentry t<
prove oar patriotism. Do yo' folter?'
"Yes."
"That's one side. Now the other i
that a sartin gal laved yo' better'n sh?
did Captain Wyle, and far that reasoi
he an has bin tryin to git shet o' yo' bj
fa'r means or fonl. He's got the whip
saw on yo' and means to hold it. Tf h<
gits hold o' yo', snnthin's goin to hap?
pen, and yo'll be tfie one to be hart.
With that major down on yo' aboat th<
Harrison borg font, and with Ike Bartel
and half a dozen others ready to sw'ai
to anything the captain wants, yo' ni
won't stand no mo' show than a coos
cotcbed in a co'ncrib. Am I right?"
"Yes, that's about the way of it, bul
what about yon? You have been my
friend and comrade from the start. Yon
hare periled your life to save mine. J
owe yon a debt of gratitude, and I don't
want yon to sacrifice yourself for my
sake. They have nothing against you
which will not be overlooked. They
want to get me ont of the way, and
there is every chance that they will ac?
complish theil object 1 would be self?
ish to pall yoa down with me after
what yon have done."
"And what?" queried Steve.
"Give me one of the guns, prop rae
np over there, and then go! I'll die
right here after making the best fight 1
can!"
"Yank," said Steve as he moved over
and held oat his hand, "yo' don't begin
to know Steve Brayton if yo' think he's
any sich critter! I was bo'n right down
thar at Winchester, and I've lived thar
all my life and hated and abused Yan?
kees'as hard as anybody. 1 went into
the war with a whoop, and I jest be?
lieved everything was plumb right and
all hands roand till 1 saw bow the cap?
tain and the hull company was pinyin
dirt on yo'. Yo' na's Yankee bo'n, but
yo's got mo' clean sand in yo'r craw
than anybody lever met up with befo'!
I'm goin to stick right yere. If we ans
git away. Vm goin with yo'. If them
guerrillas ar* too many fur us, we'll
both die right yere!"
Kenton protested and argued, but
Steve was determined. He took a tin
pail which had contained food and filled
it with water at a spring not far away.
Then he carefully moved Kenton over
to the south side of the camp, propped
him up at a loophole in a sitting posi?
tion and sat down beside him to wait.
"I've figgered this out a bit, " he said
as he peered through his loophole for
sign of danger. "If them chaps bad
found yo' at the house, yo'd hev bin
carried off to camp. Bein as they'll
find yo' yere, and bein as thar'll be a
font, thar won't be no carry in away if
they git the better of ns!"
** Yoa mean they'll kill me here and
have done with it?" replied Kenton.
"Exactly, and me tool Then thar
won't be any charges, witnesses or trial.
They'll report that we fit to the last,
and it will be all plain sail in far them
as wants os oater the way. Thar'fore,
in shoot in we'd better jest shoot to kill
and git all the revenge we kin. Steady,
now! I think the critters hev smelt ns
oat!"
Half a mile ap the road from Best
Haven the gang had left their horses
and divided into two parties to search
the hills on each side of the highway.
Steve had caught sight of two or three
men moving toward the camp through
the 8crab.
"I won't shoot to kill-not this time!"
he whispered as he thrust the barrel of
the carbine through the owning. "I'll
jest fling a bullet down thar to let 'em
know that the Confederate Yankee army
has had breakfast, pulled its boots on
and is ready far bizness!"
His shot was followed by a yell which
announced to the other party that the
fugitives had been discovered, and 10
minutes later the camp was surrounded.
Among the enemy was a man who had
seen Royal Kenton fall when fired upon,
and it was therefore known that he was
wounded. How far he was disabled,
however, could only be guessed at.
Steve Brayton was known to be with
bim, and Steve was also known to be a
fighter. It was therefore decided not to
open fire until other means had been re
sorted to and failed. Thirty minutes
after the first appearance of the enemy
a flag of truce was shown among the
scrub, and the bearer cautiously ad
vanced until within hailing distance.
His advance was from the south side,
and both men had him under their eyes.
It was Ike Barter, and he halted about
pistol shot away and called out:
" ""Hello, np thar! I want to" speak to
yo' uns 'bout a ininit!"
"Waal, fire off yo'r breath!" replied
Steve.
"We uns has dun clean surrounded
yo' uns, and yo'd better give in!"
"Yes?"
"If yo' uns will give in, nobody will
be hurt. If yo' uns don't give in, we
uns ar' bound to wipe yo' out! We uns
is a hundred strong, with two cannons!"
"That yo', Ike Baxter?" called Steve,
as if doubting the other's identity.
"Yes."
"Waal, I've got my gun pinted fur a
shot right betwixt yo'r doggone eyes,
and if yo' hain't back thar among yo'r
gang befo' I count 10 I'll pull trigger!
If yo' want us, cum and git us!"
Five minutes later tire was opened on
the fort from all around the circle, and
the enemy were shouting and cheering
as if a victory bad already been nearly
won. While most of their bullets flew
clear over the piled up rocks, those
which were better aimed did no damage
whatever. Not a shot was fired in re?
ply. Kenton's position caused him con
si dei able pain, and Steve removed the
prop from bis back and laid bim down
with the remark:
"They uns will keep bus tin away fur
half an hour vit, and we uns kin take
things easy. I reckon the firin will
make the gal a hit oneasy, but it'll also
hurry up the Yankees in case they ar'
on the way."
"That's what we must hope for, " an?
swered Kenton, "but watch out that we
are not taken by surprise."
The firing attracted the attention of a
party of seven or eight guerrillas who
were hunting for the fguitives on their
own account, and they came up and
joined forces with the larger body.
The entire force then numbered, as near
as could be estimated by the firing,
about 23 men. All they could hope to
gain by their blazing away as they did
was that a stray bullet might find a tar?
ifer with thc flag of truce.
get in one of the defenders, but this did
not happen. After expending enough
cartridges to equip a whole company
for a raid tbe firing suddenly ceased.
"Now, then, Yank, they all's comin
to clus quarters, and I want yo'r help!"
said Steve Brayton as he proceeded to
raise Kenton to a sitting position and
prop him up as before. "Yo' take the j
shotgun. Both bar'ls ar' loaded with I
buckshot, and yo* orter drap about fo' of I
the critters and wing two or three mo'!*' |
CHAFFER XXVn.
Uncle Ben had started out bravely
enough, but after be bad traveled a mile
or so he found himself growing faint
and weak. He was not only an old man, j
but the exciting scenes through which j
he bad passed in the last few hours, to- ?
gether with tbe physical pain he bad j
endured, were quite sufficient to tax his
strength to the utmost. He fought
against the feeling until at length the
rocks and trees seemed to be whirling j
round and round and the frozen high
way to be sliding from under his feet, |
and then he dropped to the earth and j
gasped:
"O Lawd, doan' let it cum jest yit! ?
Gjve de ole man strength 'naff to reach
dem Yankees, an den yo' kin take him ?
away! I don can't stop yere, O Lawd! j
I'ze got to keep trabblin till I finds Mars j
Custer an tells him dat Miss Sunshine ?
wants him!"
After a rest of three or four minutes ?
he rose up and moved on. He slipped j
and staggered as he advanced, but he
shut bis teeth bard and would not yield
to the weakness seeking to pull him
down. Two events happened to brace
him up and restore a portion of bis j
strength. He bad gone a distance of
about two miles and was just passing j
the cabin of a "poor white" which had j
boen deserted for tbe last month when |
Mrs. Baxter suddenly appeared. She
had traveled two miles toward the Yan?
kee lines after leaving Rest Haven in?
stead of going the other way, but it was
to strike a pass leading over the range
info the Shenandoah. She had been
waiting there in hopes to hear from Ike,
who had told her that be would return
for his revenge. Uncle Ben was no
doubt possessed of the information she
longed for, and though realizing his
feelings toward her she made bold to
step out and accost him.
"What, yo' yere!" shouted the old
man at the top of his voice as soon as he
set eyes on her. "Fo' de Lawd, wom?
an, Tout if I eber git hands on yo' I'll
kill yo' fur shore!"
"Had Ike cum when yo' left the
place?" she asked, pretending not to no?
tice bis outburst of anger, but at the
same time preserving a respectful dis- |
tance between them.
"Yo' ole cat! Yo' ole she debbil!" |
he exclaimed as be rushed at her. "Yo' ;
am de one who brung all dis trubble
to Miss Sunshine, an I'll broke ebery
bone ia yo'r body!"
She retreated before him and held up
her hand as a caution to him to listen.
The soldiers and guerrillas had begun
firing on the camp. The distance was
two miles or more, but the morning
wind was blowing from the south, and
the reports of the muskets came plainly
to their ears. Both realized at once
what was going on. The woman
laughed as she observed:
"Ike's goin to git 'em fur shore! Ike '
will be an ossifer now and ride the best I
critter in the company. Reckon yo' j
must 'a' bin hidin out when Iko got
thar, or yo' wouldn't be yere now. He ;
was goin to "born yo' un ??ive.^
The reports of the guns told Unel<
Ben that the two men in camp had beei
attacked, and that he had not a mc
ment to waste with the woman. All hi:
strength and resolution had returned
and without heeding her words he start
ed off at a stout pace. She felt certaii
of his mission, and she was d?termin?e
to detain him if possible. Mrs. Baste
was not only a fearless woman onde:
all circumstances, but in such a crisis
as this she was desperate. If Uncle Bei
brought help, all that had been gainec
would be lost, and Ike might be killed
or captured with the rest of the gang.
She stepped aside to let the old slave
pass and then followed at his heels,
threatening, taunting and commanding
by turns and almost daring to lay bands
on him. If she had been armed with
knife or pistol, she would have attacked
bim at once. As she was not she con
tinned to follow him in hopes of en?
countering some one on the highway.
If a white man, and she cried out tc
him that the black had dared to raise
his hand against her, Uncle Ben wonld
be seized, if not shot down in his tracks.
Aggravated and annoyed by the pain
of the blows inflicted by Ike Baster,
maddened by the woman's words and
her continued presence and rendered
desperate by the danger of the general
situation, it was no wonder the old man
suddenly turned at bay with the glare
of a hunted wolf in his eyes. She was
too close to him to escape. Springing
forward, he seized her by the shoulders,
lifted her from the ground, and with
a mighty effort he flung her clear of the
road. At that point the ground sloped
sharply away toward a ravine, and as
the woman struck the earth with stun?
ning force she rolled over and over un?
til she finally brought up against a bush
50 feet away.
"De Lawd furgive rae, but I couldn't
don help it I" groaned Uncle Ben as be
continued his way. "Dey's arter Miss
Sunshine, an dey's arter me, an dey's
arter Mars Kenton, an de good ole mis?
sus am lyin dead in de house, an what's
gwine to becum of us all 1 dunno!"
With eyes fastened on the pathway,
with teeth hard shut, with words of
prayer rising to his lips and a constant
struggle against the feeling of despair
seeking a lodgment in his heart, the
faithful old slave pressed on, mile
after mile, and soddenly found himself
confronted by a party of horsemen in
blue uniforms. The goal had been won,
and as he realized it up went went bis
arms, and he sank down on the icy road.
"Runaway darky, but he isn't pur?
sued that I can see, " observed the cap?
tain of the troop as he ordered a ha.*.
"Some of yon men liven bim np with
a sip of whisky."
A sergeant dismounted and put a
flask to Uncle Ben's lips and forced
some of the contents down his throat.
In a couple of minutes the old man sat
np and looked around.
"Were you running away?'\ asked
the captain as he rode closer.
"Whar-whar's Mars Custer?" gasp?
ed Uncle Ben in reply.
"General Custer? Ob, he's some
miles away. Did you want to see him?"
"Miss Sunshine dun wants him, sah
-wants him to cum quick! De gorril
las an de sojers am up dar try in to burn
de house an kill eberybody!"
Uncle Ben was so overcome that it
took 10 minutes to get his story straight.
The troopers numbered only about half
a company and had been sent out to in?
tercept a Confederate mail courier who
was expected to enter that valley
through Hempstead's gap, three miles
away. The captain wrote a note and
sent it off to the Federal lines by cou?
rier, but could do no more in the matter.
Uncle Ben was given some rations to
make a breakfast of, provided with a
blanket by a kind hearted trooper and
instructed to wait for the force which
would be sure to come up within two
or three hours.
Let us .nticipate their coming. As
the fusillade had drawn no reply from
the fort, the enemy at length concluded
that its defenders had been disabled.
They also realized that the sounds of
battle might reach Federal ears and
bring up a force to the rescue, and it
was therefore decided to advance upon
the camp without further loss of time.
As Brayton had predicted, they formed
on the open ground to the south. The
entire force formed in two lines for
a charge, and as a movement or two
showed that they were about ready to
advance Steve quietly remarked:
"1 dunno whar Jeff Davis bought this
yere carbine, but it was a mighty cote
trick in him. She's good for seven shots
as fast as I kin pull trigger, and that
means that sumbody's goin to git hurt.
Yo' an hold yo'r buckshot till they git
on this side of that bash. How yo' feel
in, Yank?"
"All right."
"Of co'8e yo' ar'. Yo' ar' lookin jest
as natural as an ole hat! Yere they
cam!"
With a choros of yells that would
have done credit to a war party of Paw?
nees, the enemy broke cover and ad?
vanced at a run. They were hardly in
the open before Steve began blazing
away. His fire was fast and deadly,
but it did not check them. It was only
when Kenton, who was coolly waiting
for them to pass the bush, let fly both
barrels into them at just the right range
for buckshot to do its best that the
charge was broken, and every man on
his feet sought safety in precipitate re?
treat.
.'That is awful!" whispered Kenton
as the smoke blew away and gave them
a clear sight of the ground.
"Lands, but we uns hev licked the
hull southern confedeiacy!" answered
Steve.
At first sight it seemed as if half the
charging foi ce had been wiped out,
but after a moment some of those who
had fallen began to creep away to the
shelter of the rocks and bushes. They
were allowed to do this without moles- j
taticn. Five remained there in plain i
sight, however, and not one of them
would ever stand on his feet again. !
There was no further movement for half
an hour. The besiegers realized that
they were'not strong enough to carry
that fort, even though it held only two
defenders, and they resorted to strategy.
A flag of truce finally appeared, and.the '
Holding the fort.
soldier "wno Ti?re 1t~w?s' permitted To
approach within 30 feet of the rocks.
There he halted and said that 10 more
men had come np; that Ike Baxter bad
been sent off to the Confederate lines
for artillery and more soldiers; that the
men then surrounding them had become
so desperate that unless the twain sur?
rendered within 10 minutes a squad
would be detailed to go and burn Rest
Haven and wreak revenge on Marian
Percy.
It was a threat intended to strike
Royal Kenton a heavy blow, and it suc?
ceeded. As he heard the words and re?
alized their import his *r?ce grew white
as snow, and he whispered to Steve that
the terms must be complied with.
'.Don'tyou believe it!" was the blunt
reply. ''It's simply a game to rattle us.
Don't yo' remember that Uncle Ben was
to start out the fast thing this mawnin
to find the Yankees? He un's had time,
and it's likely they are on the way. The
gal is southern and loyal, and even
though sum of these chaps ar' guerrillas
they dasn't go that fur."
,4But suppose they dared to?" pleaded
Kenton.
"Then they'd db it arter they bad cut
us to pieces, the same as befo'. Look at
them dead folks out thar. D'ye reckon
they'll spare us arter that? Hark!
Whoopee! By the li vin jingo, but the
Yanks hev showed up at last!"
CHAPTER XXVni.
The courier dispatched by the captain
of the Federal troop reached the lines
in due time and banded the message to
General Custer, whose brigade was in
winter quarters, but scouting and recon?
noitering almost daily. An order had
been issued by the general in command
of the army in the valley outlawing all
Confederate ixregulars and directing
special attention to Mosby's band.
Within bali an hour after receiving
the courier Custer dispatched two com?
panies of the Sixth Michigan cavalry,
with instructions o push forward at a
gallop, and 30 minutes later be fol?
lowed them with the First and Fifth
regiments and a battery of artillery.
The flying column foo nd old Uncle Ben
patiently waiting by the roadside and
stopped long enough to bear his story.
He gave tHm the lay of the camp oc?
cupied by Kenton and Brayton and was
left behind to wait for the main column.
Perhaps the besieging force was in
earnest in making the statement which
fell from the lips of the flag of truce
man as an alternative. They bad suf?
fered too severely to try another charge
up the narrow way, and the fusillade
maintained for hours had been lead
thrown away. Ike Baxter bad indeed
been sent away for re-enforcements and
a piece of artillery, and the guerrilla
portion of the force was thirsting for re?
venge and rife for the most desperate
deed. The girl had defied them, and
her lover had killed two or three of
their number, and somebody must be
made to surfer.
The sergeant in command of the squad
of Confederate cavalry had no control
over the guerrillas, but when, as they
waited to hear from the men behind
the rocks, he beard them planning
to wreak their vengeance on Rest Ha?
ven, he did all in bis power to dissuade
them. They seemed to abandon the
idea, but under pretense of "having a
talk" four or five of them slipped away
and started for the house. They were
within 20 rods of it and bad already di?
vided up the wicked work to be swiftly
accomplished when the flying squadron
turned a bend in the highway and was
upon them. They turned to flee, but
half a dozen revolv?is cracked, and they
were dead men as the last set of fours
jumped over their bodies lying on the
highway. Not a trooper slackened his
rein or a horse broke bis gallop.
"Halt! Dismount! Fourth men hold
horses! Deploy to the left! Forward
and fire at will!"
It was a complete surprise to the Con?
federates, who bad collected in a body
to hear what answer might be made to
the message sent in. They made a show
of defense, but after a fight of five min- |
ates, during which they lost 10 or 12
men, they threw down their arms and
surrendered. This event was known in
the camp almost as soon as outside of it,
and the cheers which Steve Brayton ut?
tered as he perched himself on the rocks
were plainly beard as far as Rest Haven.
"Yank, old boy, we uns is on the top
limb now, " chuckled Steve as he leaped
down and shook Kenton's hand. "Bein
as I've got sorter used to the sight of
Yankee uniforms, I reckon I'll drop over
thar and tell 'em about yo' and see ;
what's goin to be done."
"But tell them of Miss Percy first," j
replied Kenton, whose anxiety was far
greater than he bad dared betray to his
comrade.
The prisoners were conducted to the
highway and surrounded by a guard, j
and then the senior captain accompanied ;
Brayton back to the camp. They were
not long in deciding what should be |
done with Kenton. They would remove I
him to Rest Haven, temporarily at j
least, and the prisoners would be held
there until the main column came up. j
A rude litter was soon constructed, and
Kenton was placed thereon and borne j
away.
A feeling of dumb despair crept over
Marian Percy as she entered the house
alter Uncle Ben's departure and looked
upon her dead. The event was not en?
tirely unexpected, and yet it was a great
shock to her, surrounded as it was by
such trying circumstances. The mother
dead, Mrs. Baxter gone, her lover
wounded and besieged by bloodthirsty
men, Uncle Hen gone after help, ?n al?
most certain knowledge that the worst
was yet to come-what wonder that the
girl was stricken and helpless? The re?
port of every musket reached her ears,
The report of every musket reached her
ears.
and now and then as the firing died
away a little her heart stood still at the
thought that Kenton and his comrade
had been captured ny those who thirsted
for their lives. She could only weep and
pray as the hours dragged away. Hope
came to her only when she heard the
clatter of iron hoofs on the frozen road
and looked out to behold the two com?
panies of Federal cavalry sweeping up
the highway to the rescue. Uncle Ben
had been in time, and she murmured,
"God bless him!" as she realized what
it meant. The dead guerrillas lr y in
plain sight as the troopers pushed on,
and she shuddered as she realized what
might have been. The dead were for?
gotten for a moment in her anxiety for
the living. There had been no firing for
the last 10 minutes. Had the camp been
captured? Had help come too late? She
stood in the open door and held herself
on her feet while she listened. A sud?
den crash of musketry told ber what she
was yearning to know. The Federal
troopers had attacked, and they were
strong enough to beat off or annihilate
the besiegers. Half an hour later she
was crying and sobbing and saying to
the men who bore the litter:
"Carefully now! Bring him right in
this way! 1 am so glad! I was afraid
that he was dead!"
The prisoners were confined m the
barn. Of th? entire force not one had
escaped except Ike Baxter, and that
only because he was absent. There were
a dozen or more dead men to bury, and
after awhile a detail was sent back to
perform the work. A dozen dead, bnt
no wounded. If yon were in the valley
that winter, yon will recall the bitter?
ness existing between the "irregulars,"
who were practically bushwhackers and
guerrillas, and the Federal cavalry. No
prisoners were taken on either side. If
a Federal detachment was cut off, never
a man returned to his lines. If a colt- .
ri er was captured, he was shot in his
tiacks or hung to the limb of a roadside
tree. There was no more mercy shown
on the other side. The capture of an
armed man in citizen's dress or half
uniform meant that he had only 15 min?
utes to live at the furthest. If he
claimed to belong to Mosby's band, he
courted death the sooner. Men who fell
in a fight went down to be buried there.
Custer with his troopers found Uncle
Ben eagerly awaiting them. Tne old
man was given a seat in an ambulance,
and within a few minutes the general
had heard his story. The order was giv?
en to push on at a faster pace, and the
command reached Rest Haven just as
the prisoners had been placed under
guard. A surgeon accompanied the
column, and while he was busy dressing
Kenton's wounds General Custer was
holding an interview with Marian Per?
cy. The result of this was an order that
the dead woman and the wounded man
should be taken back to the Federal
lines-the one for burial, the other for
proper medical treatment.. Whatever
Marian wished to take away would be
transported for her, and the place wonld
i be abandoned.
Steve Brayton had come out of the
affair a greater hero than he had ever
i hoped to be. Although frankly ac
I knowledging himself an escaped pris
! oner and now again captured by the en
I ernies of bis canse, every Federal who
understood how he had fortified the
camp and defended it to save a wounded
and almost helpless fellow Confederate
I insisted on taking him by the hand and
tendering bim hearty congratulations.
Even General Custer himself did not
withhold a word of praise after learn?
ing from Marian and Kenton of Bray
ton's, braver?_and_self sacrifice..
fTO BE CONTINUED.J *
I Was Sick
Every day. suffering with stomach, liver and
kidney trouble, also from after effects of tte
^ Mr. B. F. Hart?
grip, with pain in my back and limbs. Different
medicines failed to benefit me. The first dose
of Hood's Sarsaparilla relieved my stomach. I
have continued and I am now permanently
Hood's?^ Cures
cured. All pain has left me, my appetite ls good,
my sleep sc:nd and refreshing, and I am strong
and well I never enjoyed better health. B. K
HARKIS. White Bluff, Tennessee.
i Hood's Pills eurea!) liver ills. 25c