But it was foot of man against leg of horse, and "a
right sorry chance."
Suddenly he opened the door, and dashed at the two horses with the
petticoat. They reared, wheeled, and bounded away like lightning just
let out of harness. In the time that it takes to tell it, the scout was
over the first fence, and scaling the second; but a horse was making the
leap with him. The scout's pistol went off, and the rider's earthly
journey was over. Another followed, and his horse fell mortally wounded.
The rest made the circuit of the barn-yard, and were rods behind when
the scout reached the edge of the forest. Once among those thick
laurels, nor horse nor rider can reach a man, if he lies low, and says
his prayer in a whisper.
The Rebels bore the body of their comrade back to the house, and said to
the woman,--
"We'll be revenged for this. We know the route he'll take, and will have
his life before to-morrow; and you--we'd burn your house over your head,
if you were not the wife of Jack Brown."
Brown was a loyal man, who was serving his country in the ranks of
Marshall.
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