The War Library: Phil, the Scout — page 9: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

aed . _ learned that he had in his possession the an ‘papers Beauregard supposed by this time al- - mostat their destination, he could expect - nothing but death as a spy. On the other hand, could he only reach _ Nashville, which he wasrapidly nearing, and acquaint General Buell of the contents of the letters, he felt sure that it might be the ineans of foiling some scheme the rebels had in view. These thoughts nerved him to desperation. He must reach Nashville! 3 Tt was not long before he saw his pursuers - again take up the chase, and by watching , them clesely he could perceive that there _eXisted among them intense excitement. Every man was urging his steed onward, elling fiercely and cutting the sides of their aieba deeply with the spur. - Halfan hour did not lessen the distance between the two parties. Each held his own remarkably, and the heart of the young Unionist began to bound with hope that even yet he might avoid an encounter with the troop behind him. This hope had scarcely come into exist- ence, however, when his horse dropped from the steady gallop it had kept up so long into a broken gait. It wasin vain that he attempted to rouse the animal to take up its former pace. Evi- dently it was exhausted. Here was a dangerous position. Moment after moment flew by on wings of lightning, and the Confederates were gaining upon him at afearful rate. What could he do? A dozen paces further aid his horse began to tremble under him. - A rod further and it sunk in a heap in the road. The spot where the horse dropped was very close to a thicket, so close that by crawling on his face a few feet, Phil was able to gain a place in which to concea? himself. Once inside the bushes he run quickly _ back toward the approaching band of horse- men. As they came up, he crouched low down beside the narrow road, so bear to the edge of the undergrowth that he could easily watch the movemeuts of the Confederates. Like the wind the main body of the horse- neu swept past him. Then afew stragglers came up. : The last of these was exactly opposite Phil when, with a bound like a tiger, he cleared the thicket and fastened himself upon the bridle of the animal. : Whirling the horse aside like a flash, Phil half dragged man and beast into the thicket. So quickly had this been done that the rebel Sid not had time to raise so much asa fin- - ger, and only when a thundering blow from hil brought him to the earth did heseem to realize the danger of his position. But it was then too late, for he fell unconscious at the feet of the daring young man. With ahaste born of his desperate posi- tion, Phil stripped off the uniform of the Confederate, and putting if on over his own he mounted the horse and rode quickly toward the place where the Confederate - troop bad halted around his worn-out steed. It was evident that his escape from the spot where be had fallen had not been seen, _for the first words of the leader of the Con- federates were: “The fellow must have been swallowed up by the earth. My eyes were riveted upon this horse from the moment he dropped, and I know he could not have got away without my seeing hii.” **But he must have done so,’’ followed another member of the party. ‘ This is not the day of miracles. We shall find him skulking somewlere near by.”’ “*Tn that case we are losing time,’’ pursued the leader. “‘Into the bushes aud hunt for him. We want lim alive, but if worst comes . to worst don’t let him escape.” _ Here was the opportunity Phil had hoped for. | The Confederates scattered widely, disap- | pearing one by one in the forest adjacent to the point where thedashing young scout had last made his appearance. Seizing thie auspicious moment our hero touched his horse’s side lightly, and the beast sped away along the road toward Nashville. It could be only a short time before this daring feat would be discovered, for the search in the bushes must soon bring to light the soldier who had been left insensible be- side the road; and Philresolved to make the most of the chance he had secured. Sooner than he had deemed likely there came from the rear yells betokening the dis- covery of the rebel. ah S4 if ore THE WAR LIBRARY. The forest rung with the shouts of baffled and enraged men, and this sound lent new energy to the movements of Phil Lamonte. ‘They shall find me game," he muttered. ‘“Only when this horse fails me shall they overhaul me.” And on, on he flew. The forest lay behind him in a short time, and he swung atasteady gallop out upon a smooth highway, leading through great plantations, now lying silent and deserted in consequence of the military operations in the vicinity. Up tothe present not aman of the troop behind him appeared in sight. This seemed a little strange to Phil. Had they given up the chase? This seemed hardly probable. If these men had been detailed from Beau- regard’s army to pursue and overtake him if possible as a spy, it was by no means likely they would abandon the chase. Now that they knew he had the dispatches which had been sent to the rebel generals in Arkansas, they had a double reason for his capture. The day wore slowly on. ae the scout was riding toward Nash- ville. Through a rift in the dun black clouds the sun, now low in the western sky, cast its pale rays over the scene. Far in the distance the spires of Nash- ville glittered in the sunset. The sight brought hope to the heart of Phil Lamonte. In_ an hour more he would place in the hands of General Buell the precious letters. He drew his horse to a walk. It seemed safe to give the animal a breathing spell. Ata point where the road forked off at right angles with the one he had been fol- lowing he halted and listened. Ahead of him stretched a gloomy forest. It looked so dark and foreboding that he hesited a moment before entering it. He wished he were on the other side of it. That instant a puff of smoke rolled up from the wood near by. A sharp report woke the echoes. The horse Phil rode gaveacry almost hu- man, and sunk dead in its tracks. Struggling to free himself from the stir- rups, the scout heard a wild shout of tri- umph, and out of the cross-road sprung the band of Confederates whom he thought now far in the rear. They had passed around him through the forest, aud cut off his further flight. Before Phil could take a step toward secreting himself he was surrounded by the Confederates who with drawn weapons crowded closely about him. ‘**Aha! you infernal Yank! So we have you after all!’’ sneered the leader of the band pushing his way to the side of Phil. ‘*May Lask what you want of me?’ said the scout, calmly. ‘‘I have aright to know why you have shot my horse at least.”’ ‘* We want you because we know that you are a Union spy,”’’ was the response, ‘‘ That would be reason enough; but we have fur- ther cause, You’resuspected of having a hand in the shooting of Col. Fontneroy last night, and you have upon you messages taken from our men which you intend to get into camp with. But you have missed this time. Oliver Oglethorpe never fails in his plans.”’ ‘*Ha! then I have you to thank for this. I remember you now,’’ and Phil scrutinized the face of the man before him. ‘I know you, and can say that I never heard any good of you.” The young man looked his rival squarely in the eyes as he spoke and watched closely for the result of his words. A deadly pallor rested on the face of Ogle- thorpe. Here was the incentive he needed to pre- cipitate a quarrel. ‘*Take that for your insult!’, he exclaimed, fiercely dealing a blow at Phil. Springing aside, Phil escaped the thrust, and returned thestroke with telling force, sending the Confederate reeling several feet away. Like a flash, Oglethorpe drew his pistol. He was not any quicker than Phil La- monte. Thus the two men stood face to face, scarcely three paces separating them. It wasa moment of deepest peril for Phil Lamonte. For well did he know thatif by any good fortune he succeeded in disarming his foe there were ranged around him a score of soldiers who would not hesitate a moment to shoot him to the heart. Ere yet a move had been mude, a steed, black as night came crashing out of the for- est, tearing straight down upon the group of horsemen, Upon its back a man,every feature of whom was concealed from sight. He touched neither rein nor spur, but in his hand appeared a peculiar weapon, shaped Jike the club of a policeman. Plunging into the midst of the Confeder- ates, this singular horseman dealt blows about him which hurled those who came Within his reach to the ground as if a thun- derbolt had struck them. Shot after shot was fired in rapid succes- sion upon the stranger, Still he was un- harmed. Finally, leaning from his saddle, he drew Phil Lamonte up beside him, and, swifter than thought, darted down the forest road. CHAPTER 1X. A GLIMPSE AT THE PAST. Again we tnust return to the quarters of Colonel Fontneroy. He is pot alone. Near the door in front of him sits a man, who bends upon the troubled face of the Confederate officer such a glance that he winces painfully, though he endeavors to maintain his accustomed composure. ‘Will you tell me the object of your visit here to-day? I do not like to sit here in ignorance. Bring this silence to an end.” The stranger moved not a muscle as he re- plied; ‘*Soon enough shall you pe answered, Nor- man Fontneroy, and when I do speak you will wish I had forever remained silent.”’ The tone was earnest and calm. The colonel tried to raise himself ou his couch, ‘*Great God! Is it, can it be that I look upou—”’ ‘‘Arthur St. Clair? You do.” With these words the stranger put up —1s hands. An instant later he let falla mass of hair from his face, and revealed the features of a man hardly thirty, and handsome as an Apollo. Fontneroy sunk back upon his pillow, pale as death, and trembling in every limb. ‘* Well, lam at your mercy. You can do with meas you wil’,’’ he said, feebly. “I have come to you to-day for this pur- pose only: You are deceiving Laura Doane.”’ ‘“Laura Doane! What do you know of her? You venture too far, man.” ‘You tell me that! You in whose heart nothing of good lies! I will speak further. Noteven here will I stop. You must cease your attention to her.”’ ‘“You miserable villain! You come here and dictate to me what I shall and shall not do. I’llcrush you as I would a viper under my feet. Why,I could cause your arrest, for a criminal—a would-be assassin. And yet you have the audacity tospeak to me like this!” Fortneroy’s eyes flashed with au unwont- ed brillianey, and his clinched hand was up- held toward his visitor. ‘Perhaps you might do this, Fortneroy, but you won’t,” was the measured reply. ‘*Tonly wish you would attemptit. I think you would be the loser in such a case."’ ‘“Press me much oarder and I swear I will doit, though it cost me everything! I tell you, you have carried this thing too far al- ready. Even an animal when chased till it finds itself .at bay, willat length turn and face its enemies defiantly.”’ ‘You areright, Fontneroy; youareright: for that reason Iam here now. Not one word of complaint shall ever cross my lips in your presence. I am beyond all that; but when you, you talk tome of being a criminal, ap assassin, a man who has hunted you to desperation, you pass beyond the bounds of sense, and enter those of purest farce! But you tellme that you will not listen to my warning that never more must you urge your suit with Laura Doane, IT have only this to say: Unless you promise me here that you will cease deceiving her I will go to her myself and lay before her your villainy !”’ ‘“You dare not! By Heaven! I will kill you if you venture it! AmIsucha coward that I will tamely cower before such an outrage as this? Seoundrel, you have come to me when I am weak and unable to defend myself against such insults as these. You show how base-born you are; but I will yet revenge myself, remember that!”’ ‘*Tam not to be disturbed by these ray- ings, Fontneroy. I know you well enough to be aware that they amount to little. Isim- ply want a OiMmiGbOOkS«<com