Jasper County Democrat, Volume 7, Number 38, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 December 1904 — IN THE LAND [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

IN THE LAND

BY EDWARD S. ELLIS.

=■' cBWRI<fAT _ e,Y THE AUTHC^.

CHAPTER XIIL A BREAK FOR LIBERTY. A deep sigh and partly suppressed moan broke the sudden silence that fell upon the group. They were from Mrs. Ben wans, who moved backward a step, as if to recoil from the impending tragedy “You seem interested ia the prisetter, " was the cutting comment of Miss Harriman. bnt the woman addressed gaffe no answer. She and her sister, who seemed equally affected, bnt ta 'better control of her nerves, moved toward the door leading into the hall Their action suggested to the other woman the propriety «f all withdraw'mg for a brief while, and they passed out of the room into the wide halL Lieutenant Oakman. without any evidence of emotion except a -slight .paliag of his •eonutenanoe. said to the leader of the party -'Search me if yon choose. 1 shall Offer no resistance. ” '“lt makes little difference whether >yeu do or net.grimly replied the Co*- * 'federate, who without •ceremony began ■the work, which was simple in its nu(*ure. ‘ From the inner podbet of tthe priaen•er’seoathe drew forth several letters and folded documents. They included two missives (from his mother, another ttom an army friend with General tyrant in Virginia, and that was aIL Every other part *f his xlothing was searched, indluding his cup and cavalry boots, wthich he was'compelled ito-draw off. There was nothing contraband in them, amdfthe heels of his boots, which were tapped and examined, gave evidence of 'beingsdid and (devoid iff any secret receptacles. Of course hisrrevolver was coni seated. It would ill with'the lieutenant had thatdocument which he received front the hands of Mrs. Ben ware been found, but. strange as .it may seem, it had vanished, the 'thorough search of his captors making it impossible for it to .Tsenain (hidden about his person.

It wcrrfld appear that, the searchof the prisoner (having resulted as stated, his peril haddisappeared. Bach would have been the fact bad he been in the custody of a company-of regular Confederates, but. unfortunately. these men .were irregulars. known as Wilkins’ cavalry, who did not consider themselves -bound by the usages, of civilized warfare. “Weil. Yank. ” coolly remarked the leader, “you eeern tobewhat yotielaim, and Miss Harriman aays (that this letter (handing it hack, to him) was vwritten by Captain Trenholm. but it happens that the captain doesn't ,command our company. ” “I do not -pee what that has to do with my case. ” - replied the lieutenant, who. nev«rthale6s. was quite certain of the drift of,the words. “Yoa’M be .likely to aee-pretty-aeon/ was the «iffnificant the leader. “These are - not the times, much Awaideration to the Alice of vyou. I’ll own that the question,isn’t clear in my mind. I’ll hsve to talkit overuvith the boys While we’re doing no,;you can withdraw. :6tay with ;the women. No doubt they'K find your company agreeable. Bill, go along and eye on him all the time, remembering that, if be haanH any weapons except his sword, the iaot won't hinder him i from running, if he gets the dunoe. ” The soldier addressed as “Bill” mart ioned to Oakman to .follow him into rthe hall. The prisoner did so, the two {joining the three women, who were ■seated near the staid or table upon .which was the candle, with their arms (folded, grim, silent and waiting. They turned their eye* toward the couple, but not a word was spoken ifcy any one. All the chairs were occupied, and the men kept their feet. Bill wished to (follow. the debate that was going on in the next room and placed himself near the door that he might catch the words spoken, an easy thing to do, since there was Tittle or no attempt at .secrecy by rthe others.

While posted thus the soldisr motioned for tOakman to take his place is front, that he might observe bis every movement, the guard meanwhile keeping Ilia band on the revolver at bis hip.

Less than five minutes later a scream rang oat fcom Miss Harriman. and the startled company in the adjoining room dashed into the hall to leant its cause. She em in her chair, gasping and straggling, with a frightful attack of hysterica ; Mrs. Ben ware and her sister, ns white as death, sat silent, npright and evidently on the point of swooning; Bill, the eavalryman, was stretched on his back, to all appearances as dead as dead could be. lie open front door left no doubt whither the prisoner had gone, and with fierce imprecations the raiders streamed outside and made for their horses. 4 hot a minute was to be lost, for in the vivid moonlight be was seen in the Act of swinging himself into the saddle of one of the animals that had been tied at the side of the lane, fully alive to tile fact that his life depended upon using every second at his command. Hot doubting what the verdict of the men would bn Lieutenant Clshman. while in the hall with his jailer, determined to discount it The fact that his guard did not suspect any such wild purpose increased the chances of tike officer. Without his motive bring die- - / .. s

trusted by the man whose attention was centered upon the discussion in the adjoining room the lieutenant stepped up near him. The next instant he was throttled with such lightninglike quickness that he sank to the floor and collapsed without being able to make an outcry. Lieutenant Oakman would have strangled the life ont of him without any compunction had he dared to linger for that purpose, but the door at his side was likely to open any moment, when it would be all over with him. As it was be came near shutting off the wind of the fellow for good, bat, seeing him senseless, he snatched away his revolver. rose from his feet and tiptoed (hurriedly •out of the door. The whole thing was begum and «nd«ed so quickly that the daring fellow seemed to be gone «c the women understood what it all meant Then a moment passed before they did anything, and the form on the floor had begun to show, uigns *of returning animation, when Miss Karri man uttered her penetrating scream, the party (Crowded into the hall. and. without pausing to ask questions, made for the fleeing prisoner. Lieutenant Oakman was as cool as he ■wns active. There was uoitimo in which to select the 'best hone, 'Bud he untied the one nearest at hand. They-were partly in,moon£ight and (partly in shadow, but he saw the old building die - gorging its terrible 'contents, as he turned fifce bead of hisnaimal down the lane toward t<he highway, and ha knew the bottle for lifo was on. There would be no -surrender or -quarter shown in this business. The instant the animal broke into his gallop , in (the middle of the done Oak-

nuua flung .himself forward on his ne ek, aa he did when beset by Tim Mast era and Jim Ackers. In thear eagerness |to check the fugitive fully .half : the men Aral Asm the porch at .<the. dwelling, halting for breath, while scrambling after their ihoxsea They *were -sharpshooters every.«me of .them, and had the atnaamatanaes been -Slightly more favorable they .most bare made a sieve of their target. As it was lie heard the whiz of the -bnllfAs and felt the (Vicious nipping of (twro.af tbem.aesthey.grazed his clothing. With hie head still an ittee: horse’s neck he peered from under .his cqpxind jammed the spur.on his boot into .the flanks of the beast which must have been mystified by 4he curkme turn of events

The situation was too hot for the lieutenant to seek (to guide the horse. *and. knowing so .little of the.country, ifie let the reins .lie ikiose, while he devoted his own unoegtos to getting all the speed he could oat of the animal. , Which, being amaontoalled. upon debouching into the highway, turned to the .left This, it will he remembered, took ‘ him in the direction of the home of General Eldridge. which the fugitive hadjeftrearlier in the evening. Iteeemed to*fcis'rider that this was a mistake on his jpart, but it was to* late to norsect it

Aftersthe first scattering volley, -the cavalrymen ceased firing, and ran with rid speed for their horses. Accustomed to such stirring work, they were in the saddles in a twinkling and tearing down the tone like a whirlwind. Ctf necessity one .of the men had to stay at the near, since there was no animal for Him, and it we a singular coincidence that the steed Ihusitaken was the personal property of the dazed Bill, trying to rouse himself to a sense of things in the ball of the bouse left behind. Another coincidence was disquieting. Bill’s hone was the poorest of the whole group. CHAPTER XTV. A FRIEND IN NEED. Lieutenant Oak man was too skilled a horseman to remain long in ignorance of the woeful mistake he had made. He had taken the wont horse of the whole lot, and one of the inevitable certainties of the immediate future was that hs would he beaten In his flight for freedom. Glancing over his shoulder st the party dashing down the highway after him and noting that they were surely gaining the fugitive perform did some hard thinking “This can!* go much longer. I

don’f think theywTn'heedTf conrfmartial next time to decide what to do with me. *’ The pursuers were close enough to tumble Oakman from the saddle, but he knew they would not do that, since by waiting awhilo he must fall into their hands, while there was danger that in firing they might wonnd the horse. Even though ho was the least valuable of tho lot. tho party were not willing to lose him. Oakman glnncod keenly to the right and left, in the hope of discovering something that might be turned to account in his flight. The open character of the country was discouraging, bnt he recalled indistinctly a small stretch of woods through which he passed when afoot, which he thought might serve his purpose. It soon loomed to view in the moonlight, and he again pricked the flank of his horse, who was unable to increase his pace by a single hoof beat

“It’s do or die,” was his thought. Then a moment later he added with the wonderful coolness that had marked everything thus far 'done by him. “And 1 guess it’s die. ” The timber was not only less extensive than he had supposed, but was so open that if he should leap from the back of his horse and dart among the trees, even when favored by the gloom, he would be scarcely out of sight. Moreover, if his pursuers so desired they could readily surround the wood and take him at their leisure. It was a shock to the officer as he sped with arrowy swiftness through the darkened lane without slackening the speed of his animal and speedily debouched again into the unobstructed moonlight. The one thing upon which he had pinned his hope waa gene and his immediate future could not have looked darker.

Glancing to the rear again, a noticeable change struck him. The party had drifted back a few rods, as if their animals were growing tired or they had agreed upon some new strategical move That the latter was the fact was probable because one of the pursuers was well in advance of his companions aud bearing steadily down on the fugitive. He had most likely asked and received the privilege of running to earth the officer who had played so clever a trick on them. “If I were sure those other fellows weald show fair play, ” muttered the lieutenant, “I should wait for that gentleman and have it out with him. I don’t know whether he suspects I have the’revolver of the man in the hall, but he is in a fair way to learn it pretty coon. ” &o far as Oakman could judge there was little to be gained by postponing the fight upon which the pursuer had set his heart, though it was good generalship to draw away the man from Ins supporters. A vague idea of securing the horse which showed superior fleetness was in the mind of the lieutenant, when, looking back and observing that his enemy was about midway between him and his party, he for the first time since starting on this desperate flight drew rein and so slackened bis pace that the other overhauled him “hand over hand. ”

“No use, Yank l You may as well give in! You’re devilish sly, but it won’t help you out of this muss. ” “Are you willing to fight me?” call-ed-back Oakman, retarding the pace of his animal still more.

“Nothing would suit me better if yoiahad a pistol instead of that toothpick.at your side, but”— “I have a pistol, ” was the startling information of the lieutenant, who now wheeled his horse about and fully confronted his enemy. The latter was plucky, and, though siightiy disconcerted by the unexpected antics of his antagonist, he whipped owt hk revolver and fired point blank at him. Oakman felt a slight twinge in his shoulder, instead of through the brain, as would have been the fact but for theaeatlessness of both animals. Before his foe could fire a second time the lieutenant let fly. The other reeled and slipped out of his saddle to the ground, dead when he struck the earth.

Whatever purpose Oakman had of seizing the horse of his enemy was spoiled by the'brute, which wheeled and dashed hack at headlong speed toward the company at the rear, whinnying ' in bds terror as he dragged the form of his late master for a few rods, when ibis boot, disentangling itself from the «tirrup, left him lying in the middle of tiie highway. It was flight again, with all the chances against him, but. since there was nothing else for .him, Lientenant Oakman jerked his animal’s head around, and. with the merciless gouging as his spur into his-bleeding flank, drove him to his utmest. No use now of looking to the rear. He knew the whole party, after a moment’s pause, would be after him. hotter than ever.

HwhfffliSg desperate must be done, and the fugitive was on the alert for

While there’s THe There's hope, and he was casting about for the last when on a slight rise of ground in advance tho form of a man on foot and bareheaded loomed to view in the moonlight. And then it was that Oakman discovered he was close to the house of General Eldridge and recognized the man as Captain Wager Trenholm, his "exchange." That officer was running, when as he came up the swell of ground he saw the Union fugitive almost upon him. He held his revolver in his right hand, and if ever there was a Confederate officer in the very excess of sublime rage, it was the captain, who, discovering tho plight of the lieutenant, had rushed out of the house and into the highway to his defense. The officer had suspected something was amiss, and, issuing from the dwelling just as Miss Eldridge was returning. he demanded to know what was afoot. She told him. without reserve. Knowing of tho presence of some members of Wilkins’ cavalry in the neighborhood. the chivalric nature of the Confederate was aroused, and be comprehended for the first time the imminent peril of Oakman which had caused - him to resort to secret flight.

Tho return of Pete with word that tho fugitivo refused to uso Miss Eldridge’s horse appealed still more strongly to the chivalry of the captain, who saw, without understanding tho true, underlying motive of the refusal, that it was because of his objection that the fugitive had thus been deprived of the probable means of securing his safety. Whilo still debating what he could do - if indeed he conld do anything, the sound of the pistol firing brought the captain into the road. “Out of that saddle quicker than lightning!’ he commanded, as Oakman came face to face with him. The Union officer was on the ground in a twinkling at the side of his friend. “You are a brave man, captain! I’ll stand by you to the death 1” “No, you won’t! Into the house with you!”

“And desert you? Never!” “You infernal fool! I don’t want? your help! I’m in no danger. It is yon they’re after, and, if you stay here, you’ll be a dead man inside of three minutes!” “But what of you, captain?” asked the bewildered fugitive This time the captain swore, and. seizing his companion by the shoulder, he swung him about and precipitated him so violently forward that he came near falling. “Off with you! Into the house! I’ll hold these people back till you’re safe Then I’ll join you, and we’ll stand them off together! What in thunder are you waiting for?” To Be Continued.

The neatinstant he masthrottled.

The other reeled and stipped out of his saddle, dead.