In the Saddle
spirited animal, and not every young fellow of eighteen would have felt at home in a saddle placed on his back. As the ladies from the house
he ladies; "but for the love of Heaven, can't you do somethin
ger woman. "Oh, my father! They are abusing him
will excuse me, I will attend to it," replied Deck, as
old lady, who wanted to talk
was several rods ahead of them. In a couple of minutes he had reached a point which commanded a view of the place chosen for the spectacle. The actors had eviden
mbing a tree with it, to pass it over a branch. Five men were on the ground, and their attention had already been attracted by the approach of the horsemen from the
voice loud enough to be heard half a mi
Deck with all the
orses at his side. The carbines were ready for use in a moment, and all three of them were aimed at the five men surrounding the planter. The actors in the tragedy very plainly did not like this demons
x and Owens," said Deck, though he had no a
ther when he was permitted to do so. Deck was a brave fellow; he seemed to have no idea of anything like fear when he was required to face
party. It was possible that he and his men had been entangled in the bushes and young trees, or had come to some water they could not easily pass. De
spoken before; and this time his voice gave De
him much to think of besides the identity of the commander of the expedition upon which the squadron had fallen. It was evident to him that
which he insisted upon carrying to extremes, was in the family. The forces at Riverlawn had defeated and driven off him and his
er's brother; though he was just as earnestly determined to do his whole duty to his country, without regard to his relationshi
ould now be clearly identified; and he had evidently made up his mind to proceed with the business in hand, as only three men had appeared so far to interfere with the operati
her men. "The fellow is as obstinate as
and the three carbines were promptly pointed at them. "This thing has go
tus, stopping long enough in his o
you proceed any farther with this b
e three carbines pointed at his men. But Deck felt somewhat ashamed of the delay he had made in relieving the terrified planter from the extremity to
tus furiously, to two of the ruf
the ground, and grasped his right arm with the left hand. The other man then raised his musket;
The three men at the rope seemed to be appalled at the fate of their associates, and releas
Owens!" said Deck, to
. Again Deck seized the line, and urged his horse up to the place where the planter was standing. Reaching down from hi
an," said Mr. Barkland, pantin
re a Union man,
hy I am subjected to this outra
re to interfere with my business?" demanded Captai
clined to parley with the captain of the late Home Guards, now in the service of the
"I reckon we ain't nothin' of the sort. Do
nd, you can return to your house, for your wife and daughter are
lied the planter, as he
men dashed upon the scene, to the
eant, as he reined up his steed. "We had to go about t
nd was not killed; but he was bleeding from a wound in the side of the head, and the b
mpany is my uncle, Captain Titus," sa
ed Life. "I have heard all about him,
with him, Life, and I wish you w
o kill him? I can
e nephew warmly. "Of course I don't
, and we will march them down
aptain Titus appeared to have brought all his obstinacy and unreason
oner, as though he still ruled the roost
g," replied the sergeant. "If you don't
ke a hand in the business in the morning, and a bat
valry. Will you take your place in the line? That's th
!" replied the captain
prisoner by the back of his coat collar, lifted him clear of the groun
growled he, as he atte
ted him up, and slapped him down acros
irection of the road, in spite of the struggles of the prisoner. But they had not reached the road where they had first seen Cato, when the head of
im. The column consisted of only the first company, the other having been sent to take another position. Captain Truman had
or Lyon, as he saw the six pris
," replied the sergeant. "They were about to hang the planter, Mr. Barkla
oner!" exclaimed t
d the first company proceeded