Page:Randall Parrish--My Lady of the South.djvu/269

WE ORGANIZE A SORTIE fighting men, and ranged themselves before me. They had scarcely had opportunity to observe me before in the rush of that ﬁrst attack, but the cavalry ofﬁcer's uniform I wore had an immediate effect, and they remained respectfully silent, leaning on their carbines, waiting for me to speak. I stood on the first stair, looking them over, waiting until Masterson was ready to report.

"All here, sir, except four at the front windows."

"Good enough, Corporal; sixteen I make the number, counting yourself."

"Yes, sir," running his eyes along the faces. "There was thirty-four of us left camp on this rampage, got a dead an’ wounded list o' ten so far. It was that first volley that dropped so many."

"Well, men,” I said soberly, "we're going out of this, but we are liable to have a bit of stiff fighting before we get away. I'll explain the situation, because you will have to operate in the dark, and each man must use his own judgment to some extent. although we will try to keep together. Those fellows out yonder are part of Donald's band of guerillas, with a small squad of regular cavalry. They'll outnumber us a little over three to one, but are scattered around the house, the main force bunched in front. I've been out and looked them over, and if we can strike them suddenly in the rear we ought to have them on the run in five minutes. They have n't any guards out, and I have found a secret passage leading underground to a negro cabin a hundred feet west of the house kitchen. But we've got to act at once, and before daylight, for [ 255 ]