Page:Randall Parrish--My Lady of the South.djvu/286

MY LADY OF THE SOUTH every avenue of escape blocked. This was no time to consider strategy or attack—we must ride for it, ride hard and fast. I swung my horse around.

"Close up men! by fours into line! ride for the gate, and the road beyond. Corporal, take the lead, and I will cover the rear. Don't spare your horses."

Every man knew, realized fully the peril threatening us. Dodd's gang had not yet perceived the advance of reinforcements, and were holding their fire expecting us to charge. Instead we wheeled to the right and rode straight at the open gate. Behind us, but not yet within shooting distance, we could already hear the pounding of the hoofs of Theilen's column, as they spurred forward in pursuit. A few muskets barked from the grape arbor; some fellow lying hidden in a corner of the fence let drive, sending the Corporal headlong; then we were outside, on the hard-packed road, the men riding recklessly, bent low over their pommels, urging their horses to the utmost. I must have been fifty feet to the rear, trusting to my horse, half turned about in the saddle so as to watch our pursuers. I never knew what happened, whether the animal stumbled, or fell from a wound, but suddenly I was shot through the air, everything blotted out in an instant as I came crashing down to earth. My last memory was of seeing Theilen's horsemen crowding through the gate, a hundred yards away, yelling and shaking their guns; of a dozen men on foot running across the open, puffs of white smoke showing their efforts to reach us at long range; and then I was gone—gone into black oblivion. [ 270 ]