Argosy, Vol. 1 (December 9, 1882) — page 390: what you’re looking at

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

LIZ BASCOM’S REVENGE. 393 to see that no one was in sight, for the moon was now giving more light than was desirable for their purpose, and the march up the mountain began. Brainard had hardly left the Bascom house when Liz returned, excited and breathless. In that brief interval her feelings had undergone another revulsion, and she thought only of saving her lover from the fate she had brought upon him. She rushed to Brainard’s room and knocked on the door. No answer. ‘Then she ran to the stable, where she found his horse quietly munching his corn. This for a time reassured her, but when, after an hour of waiting Brain- ard did not return, she became fully convinced that her original suspicions of him were correct, and that even now he and his men (for he could not under- take such a task alone) were making their way to the lonely “ still” on the mountain side. | She walked out into the road and peered up and down. At last she could bear the suspense no longer, and started up the mountain at a brisk walk. In the mean time Brainard and his party had made good use of their time and were well on their journey. Climbing a rocky steep here, sliding into a guich there, now stumbling over a half buried log, and now making good progress where the trees were farther apart and the underbrush less thick, they hurried on. To accomplish their object it was absolutely necessary that they ' be on the ground before daybreak. It was at the dark hour before dawn when the weary climbing was over, and they gathered together in a little thicket within a hundred yards of their prey. The “ still” was working away at full blast, sending up colunins of smoke and clouds of steam. In the stillness of early morning every sound could be heard. : Having arranged their plan of attack, they were about to divide and ap- proach the “still” from. opposite sides when, as Brainard threw a look backward toward the top of the mountain they had just crossed, a long streak of flame shot up into the night. In an incredibly short time great clouds of flamie and smoke were rolling skyward, lighting up the mountain tops for miles around. The beacon must have been discovered by those in the “ still’ almost as quickly as by those outside, for all at once there was a great bustling within. By the loud hissing sound and still thicker clouds of steam that rolled out, they judged the fires were being extinguished with water. There was no time to be lost if the attacking party. wished to reap any advantages of a surprise. so, spreading out and keeping as much within the shadow as possible, they made a quick dash for the house. They had covered little more than half the distanee when there was a flash, a sharp report, and one of the Government men fell forward on his face. Rushing on, the rest took shelter behind and within an out house a few yards from the main building, and then began a lively interchange of shots. This was kept up for a time until the out house became so riddled with bullets that it afforded but slight protection, and two of the invaders had received slight wounds. GON GOO @ YN CO