L Sharpshooter Dick's brave escape from the field of battle. THE WAR LIBRARY. SHARPSHOOTER AND SPY; — on,— The Terrible Panic at Bull Rui BY MAJOR A. F. GRAST. Author of " 0?i. to BiOimond:' CHAPTER I. ON HIS OWN HOOK. It was a warm July night in Washington. All day the measured tread of infantry, the gallop Of cavalry, and the hoarsf riim- ble of artillery had resounded throughout '^'rhe bulk of the Union army was at Alex- andria, preparing to move upon Beauregard, whose forces had been concentrated at Man- assas Junction, twenty-seven miles west of McDowell's camp. , . , The movement had net been kept secret, and hundreds of prominent people, senators, representatives, judges, aud elergyinen were erettina readv to accompany the Union Toopf to thiir'lirst ..attle.iJld, for the pur- pose of witnessiufr thr rnishingoftheton- ''T^Sth*,^il;";n!".'— lors at the North beli"v.dtli"it tlii' war would not last three months; Imt knew tho r, of the S..iii bloody coiill Washingtc) Orderlies on magnilii the Long Bridge American citizen ; but you must have a card were a few— men who and the determination predicted a long and a itly ohuUeug- So busy seemed every person in the city, with some business pertaining to the struggle near at hand, that nobody noticed the man who moved up Pennsylvania avenue alone toward the Capitol, with a long rifle upon his shoulder. . , , , „ .. Tiisfitiire he was tall, his shoulders weie broad, iiidifative of gi'ent strength, and his ''^TiT "till-' l'iinpli'''iit hi/looked almost as ■iriiwii -i •! Mp-Ki<'^iii uml the dark mustache thathicihi/lipsaddp'ci to his attractiveness of ^leus^garraents were attractive oiies, inas- much Is they consisted of a fringed hunting- jacket that had a cape, and leggings that fitted close, and boasted "f « t.'-'"f ,?','?"- the seam. He wore ^ br,Kul-br mined hat, not unlike a sombrero, to wliuh naci rjeeu fastened the tail Ota tox-s(iuirre. Such was the person who 1>"*^«\ "i' J^e great avenue of the Capitol, heedless of the fide of humanity that surged past him, not noticing, and apparently unnoticed by any > found himself in front ioh he gazed for several never missed a b'ar trail among the mount- s. Sotharsasoundof revelry by night 111 the Ducroy house near F street? 1 ni much obliged, gentlemen. Ill go and hunt '^'"n'ol'd a minute!" cried one of the con- gressmen-for congressmen all the men were "You'll have trouble obtaining an TnterView with Ducroy until after the re- ception." " I ffuess not. . , "I'm afraid you will. You may not be acquainted with the rules that govern so- ciety here at the capital." . "Rules be hanged! "exclaimed the mounts aineer, his dark eyes flashing with indigna- tion "I'm a free born American citizen; Jim Ducroy ' "That is 1 "^"ToOld Nick with your card!" wasthein- terruption. " The card that has never failed me is the one I carry on my shoulder," aud the speaker patted his rifle affectionately. " The Honorable Mr. Ducroy k.'i"-\f >* '"'''.•>/, if Itakeanotion toseehmi, I Udosowiui- out the formality of an intr< .. luct i. .n. i . < ><> i- night, geutlemen," and, *'"', V ,,,.„, l off called himself Dick Griswold nunc d off with the proud step ot a inountaui k-in^. "^He was^not long in nnding 1'.^ -yeVath to- incpiiry soon set him on the ught patu to ^-'l'h*r^'Tup1'lfth'o world !" 'heexclaimecl, ■1- ii,. hiTicil in front of a spacious yard lii;lii, .1 i". a number of elegant gas-]ets and ' 'l'"! 'n '■''!' I '. "splendidly dressed ladies and ...re visible along the prome- ,, , I „ 1 n all directions, and peals of i„ , ; , i !, _, ;. I were borne to the niount- '"■'■* ' ,,|.,,M hod theyardandleanedagainst ii'io, lo^t ly keeping his fine figure with- I't'li'' M'ot where he had halted he had beneath his hunting frock, and used cine knertor a desk, while he scrawled his name ^""^^har!" he said, handing the paper to the darkv "Thar's the first card Dick Uris- wold^ver made use of. Take that to Du- .i= anybody's fool— not wh.n i khou.m m i j anyhow. Who dreamed _t on yoan; a;^ that he would CO to " '" "" '• , . ■ stammered. ,-night.".,. of th nhabits," he said, t.'ps he climbs day llv to Un.'loSam lieve. .: knows, the gal ; get my Pshaw ! The si and mo As ho tion. 1 g to-night? An' he's t the prettiest girls in V Nettie Knox, I be- iiieked her up, nobody ■ 'em both— Ducroy an' ■essman said I couldn't e door without a card. It that!" t bis tree as he finished. failed me. No ; 1 don't think \ ni the proper ehap to expose old Double-face; . but I would like to know what he's doing to- "'ifaviug thus delivered himself, the speaker turned to a group of fine-appearing gentle- men who had lately come down from the ''^^"stlutedihlmby a courteous lifting of his hat, which act could not have failed to arrest their attention. ...... , , "Well, my good fellow, what is it?" asked one of the men. t./i ri,,. "Nothing much, gentlemen ; only I cJ like to know where I'ci be likely to find the Hou- OTaWe Mr. Ducroy-thafs his Washington '''^'Duiroyt"clrteinly,"was the response. "He is entertaining a number of Union officers at his residence, near the foot of J< ^"H^avinfr party, eh?" ejaculated the mountaineer. _ , „, "A reception, rather. Do you know where F street is"? "I've got an idea. I guess . — moved sTnce I ^as here last. I oughtn fail to find a street in this city, when tbeen tto •■"l (i,,l \fY v\r< init—Vm a free show," I ulito.i i;ii haven't seel DOT ^a^'icd'biu^rand ' tbjrmountain- eer, with flashing eyes, followed hiui up. "It's a lie, and you know it ' i"," " PIou ued, clutohingtho congressman s arm You don't want me to meet Nettie, and I know g^e^nSsTon ;?;-e e^fc^^^J^g* to^-u&^^^ fkcukiui^eri^'^'niT^p thing you haven't the courage to do. I won t nresfyou for an introduction to Nettie Knox ?o-uiXt Go back to your general, Jim, and P B°eForlVe''horrified Ducroy could reply his arm was released, aud the sharpshcioter was walking toward the sidewalk with his riSellugc'arelessly across his shoulder "My heavens! the last man I expected to see to-night!" gasped the congressman. I wonde?ffanybW heard what he said. NoJ r nm the only person in the hall. I tnanK thee for this" Fortune! Ah! there is John. ''''" Yes, sah," said the darky, moving for- "^^ Tell General Jessup that 1 am too tmwell to return to him just now, and that I beg ot him to excuse me for awhile. The darky marched off toward the ro^m jpiedby the Union general, while uu- CT~6y^Jcendea the broad staircase to the floor '^^A^minute later he entered an elegantly futnffhed bedroom, and took trom a maho^ any desk a revolver, which he transterred K) ^'f^^hf/mustn't pressme^!" he grated. CIIAPTERril. THE SHARPSHOOTER AT WORK. conveSalbroadcloth, and was extremely '"Hel°o"fy ta>k. ' "I c-auiiut see why nut. Fur days and days Scott has been sending troops across the Long Bridge. There must be more than twenty thousand Union soldiers across the Potoniac to-night." " More than that number, it I have been correctly informed. Ah! we will wait until we see your guardian. He will not let Gen- eral Jessup go until he has pumped him d7-y. Then my work befjiiis." Nettie" Kno.K Inuk.'d intu tlirsprakrr s facv. 'Do; vhen Dncroys heart is Scott already has spies in not have not to And fa with our cause, Richmond; why, then, sh them here?" " But this is Washington— the National Capitol." "So it is — or was. It is so no longer. I do not know that I will play my present part much longer. I am going into the array. This business dues not sail uie." " I abhor it. Tu nn' if luuks meau, dishon- orable!" and till' c-v< s ul' till- lair girl seemed toflash. "There nmst !"■ .-ii lies, I suppose; but 1 trust no friend u£ niiue will ever play that game." " Not for the cause of the South, Nettie ?" "It is spying against the government." The young man's answer was a stare. Such words from Dueroy's ward. What did it mean? For several minutes silence reigned be- tween the pair. It was broken by strains of band music from an adjoining street. "Another Yaukee regiment," said the youiig man, after listening a moment. "They'll come liack to Washington with drooping color.*, Nettie." "Perhaps; irut I trust not." "Pardon me, Imtl have mistaken your ou would tak< vice and remain with us." "With the North'/" " No, with the government, which is the right." " 1 cannot, Nettie. The die is cast." Nettie Knux dill not answer, but turned her fare fi'uiu her lumpauion, and appeared to be watuliin;; MVcral pairs of promenaders some distance auay. While she was thus engaged, the young Southerner started abruptly and spoke : "Your father is beckoning for me," he said. " My guardian, you meau ?" I "Ah! yes. Nettie, I always forget that ' Ducroy is no more than your guardian, be- cause he ha.s been so kind to you. You will excuse me until I see what he wants?" "Certainly; but remember," laughed the girl, "after" to-night, you play the spy no longer." "1 will not forget," was the reply, as Mel- ville turned and moved toward Ducroy, who stood a short distance away anxiously wait- ing for him. " I have succeeded bejond my most san- guine expectations," said the congressman, in a low tone, as the young Southerner came up. " Jessup is a regular old give away. He actually regretted that he had no more to Melv lie T>nn with 1) H lie out foi a r. my ad- tell me than he had. If ViH-\e Sam has a few more such ofllcers, oiirsuc(«ssis assured. I have the password, the exact numbers of McDowell's forces— in short, mv boy, every- thinjr tliat w.- wanted." "(luu.l!' .Ja.nlatedMelville Dare. "For a liist-ilass piini]) commend me to General Jcssnp, V. S. A." " Ves, yes! tlie old curmudgeon. Now, here is the letter for Beauregard. It will reach him before morning, because you carry it. Take the Long Bridge route and deliver the mes.iage as soon as i)ossit)le. 'Washington' is the cunnterrln.(l, tin. u a ^it;uili(■allt .•rlaiice tuwaid his ward, Avhu was buwiug to a yunii^: I'liiun captain who had just joined '■;N'uliu(ly suspects your mission here to- iiiirlit. Melville, " continued the congressman, " Indeed, Jessup told me that he understood that you expect to enlist in the Yankee army." "Did the old fellow swallow that?" laughed Dave. "I gave it to him over our glasses at Williar.i's last night; ha, ha, ha! Have yon anytbiri.a- fur me to atteud to this ' Yes. i.n?" shun the tulluw." said Mcl- : 1 caught a glimpse of jiim nigh to enable me to recog- We shared the same ■ uiig captain, clad in Union r was about Melville's age not (he Southerner's superior fill girl who waved him a good-night. Melville walked rapidly from the spot, and did not stop until he found himself in a certain part of the capital some distance from the Ducroy mansion. Before him stood a large, but plain house, whose bell he rang, and beyond whose threshold he passed when the door was opened. Tun minutes latui-.a Iiursemanrodefrom an alli'v in Ihu riMrui the huiise, and set off at a smart raiilir InH-nd lliu Long Bridge which v«Bs the lii-liwa\' lu Ki.liniond. This huis.inan had Melville Dare's phys- ique — his eyes and his miistauhu; but liis whole face 'was uuvurud bv a blauk liuard. Notwitlislaiidinjr th<- latiMiuss ul llu^ Iumii'. many peui.lu wne jiii ^sin^; tuward the put itar men, pussussed the prevailing' cuuutersign which of course had a similar effect. When near the great bridge, the particular horseman whom we have described, found himself compelled to slacken his speed. It was apparent that he did not want to in- cite notice, for he sought no company, and seldom replied to remarks addressed to him by convivial parties. When he reached the sentries he leaned forward and spoke the word which Ducroy had assured Melville Dare was the counter- sign. It had the desired effect ; and the guard stepped aside to let him pass on. Ouce across the bridge and clear of the tide of human beings, whose destination seemed to be Alexandria, the horseman put spurs to his horse and sped down the Centre- ville road. The Potomac was behind him, and he was now on the soil of Virginia, with his face turned toward a spot soon to become a his- turii- batlleHeld. Not long alter he had left the river, he could look over his shoulder and see the lights of Alexandria. " I rather like this life," he said to him- self. " It is exciting, though dangerou.s. Spies are not always hung. The fate of Hale and Andre is a scarecrow that ought not to friglilun brave men who owe their coun- try a sui\ ii u. The r.-'s no glory in marching up to a uannuii lu ]>!■ blown to pieces. I'll stick tu tlu- busiiHf.s I am ii( tly di ■in, and laid hi: "None ii' that I I kin see wharyou ve put yer hand," continued the same voice, as tho clicking of a lille-haramer was plainly heard. "You'll please take yer fingers away, or I may have to help you. Do you hear me?" "Who are you?" said the thunderstruck horseman, leaning forward, aud trying to make out the exact whereabouts of his con- frouter. "I'm a fellow what's goin' to have some sport in this difficulty ou his own hook — a sort of nil independent brigade all to him- self. You have never heard of Sharpshooter Dick, mebbe ; but thar's some people what have." The listener started, and littered ail ejacu- ■■ .My luu,.Mi. ,' hire kinder surprises you, 1 SIC, ■ ;u\\ lit'> ;;ut down to busiiii ,-s. .lu>t tuss uu- till in papers for " U 1 iliil, 1 wouldu't miss the target more than a iiiiiu, " was the quick rejoinder. "What.yur yuu arc, I want tliuin docn- wheu hu knu\\s ixautly what he wants. I've gut Killlaa-k at niy >-'huuhlur, as you can see. The papcis^quic'k 1 ui- l.y .h-hn! I'll get 'em after I've tuurhuil ih.. I'liL-uur." There was a steriinu^.-, in ihu last words thattoldthe horseman Ihal tin- man who stood in the road before him was m^ttobe trifled with. ee him plainlv, for ^ __ ^:ht. "He the broad-brimmed hat, and the hunting garments— cape and all. Sullenly, he drew Irum his inside breast pocket a large cm ulope, -which he held back for a moment, as if he was not going to com ply with the sriar|ish(iutri's request. "That's it:" ux.hiinied Dick. "That's the do' 11111. lit r « ant. T.i^s 'er here, an' go on or turn ba. k, j.s' as y.iii ]ilease." Theii.xt III. nil. Ill sum. ■thing fell at the feet ul til.' shai psh.H.l. r, and he stepped asid.", but dill nut luw.a- )iis rifle. "Nui\ lak.. \ir . hoi. .■ li.'t ween Washing- ton ai-i.l i;iaui.:;aiil, " he continued, ad- dressiim Ih.- liurs.inaii, whu was, of c-ourse, Melville D.nv. " (iuin' ah.'ad, eh ? Mebbe you knuw what's in lliu envelope. If you do, why, yiai kin t.'ll K.aim-irard. You kin look fur 111.' in Ih.' hi- li-ht ^vllen it comes " 111 luuk r.M- yuu, never fear!" shot from li.tu.'.n .\l.'l\i|],' Dare's clinched teeth, as h.' stiuik his h.iis.' madly with the spurs, aii.l wi lit by Sharpshooter Dick like an "That's the kind o' promise I like," was the respon.se. " Thar's nothin' mean about Diclc Griswold, if he was raised on bear-meat in the muniitaius of A'irprinny. Jes' keep out u' ulil Killl. lick's nun:.' il v".'U Avant to do the (•unrcili'ia.y iijii.h sarM.'.-. She's the killiuirt'st wi.a[..iii in tli.' wh.,1.' .■..untrv." Melville Daiv diil nut Ii.ar all th.'se words, for his steed had carried him beyond ear- shot. He was again on the way to Beauregard, but the precious documents which Ducroy had intrusted to his care, had been forced from him at the rifle's muzzle. In the moment of his rage and chagrin, he did not stop to think what might befall the congressman if Sharpshooter Dick should lay the papers before McDowell, tli«- Union general. Bhed, Sharpshooter Dick turned toward th© THE WA.R LIBRARY. Union army at AJexamlria. He was no longer afoot, but rode ii heatetl horse, which he joined at the road side shortly after plun- dering Melville Dure. Satisfaction beamed on the sharpshooter's i-ountenauce, and victory danced in the depths of his keen eye: quamt Virginian town, with whose streets fie ^l t on until he found himself in the lie seemed very familiar for one who had spent the greater part of his life in the luoiiutaius. He attracted the attention of no one, for the night was waning, and a busy day was !*oim to dawn— the day of McDowell's fatal advance toward the battlefield of Bull Run. After awhile. Sharpshooter Dick halted V>e£ore a very modest little frame house in one of the dingy back streets, and rapped gently on the door. It was immediately opened by a young girl who uttered a cry of joy on seeing the sharpshooter, and stepped aside that he might enter the house. This Dick did without further invitation, and found himself in a little apartment tolerably well lighted by a lamp that occu- pied an old-fashioned mantel. " Here they are," he said, vrith enthusiasm, as be drew forth the captured papers, and held them up before the girl's eyes. " I told you he had 'em, Lily ! I know Jim Ducroy about as well as the next fellai'." ■ The girl, who was very handsome, with a graceful figure, sparkUng black eyes, and a wealth of curls floating around an oval face, whose contour was faultless, clapped her hands with delight, and sprung forward to look at the big envelope. " What will General Scott say when he sees those papers?" she exclaimed. " He will be a good deal older than he is to-night before he sees them, I'm thinking," answered the sharpshooter. " I wasn't out to-night for anybody but ourselves, Lily. If I am not mistaken, these papers will prove just as valuable to us as they would to Scott, McDowell or any of the Union gen- erals. There must be a letter on the inside signed liy tliat swfrt-srented congressman As lif inii,-l].'l, till- shai'iishooter began to open ilir cm ilo[>c'. Lily held the light in froiil (il him whil.' I)c wurked a moment at "Waal, 1 swan!" exclaimed Dick, after glaueiug over the several papers which he drew forth. "Treason worse than Arnold's ever was, Lilr. But it's Jim Ducroy, all over. Heie's ;i iiai"'i' that gives Beauregard the exact luuiibri ni th.- Yankee troops in McDowell's ai inv, and hcie's another chock- full of the plans'lor l)attle fresh from the pen of somebody that knows; an' here's the most importaut paper of all— the one which closes by saying : • I am, my dear gen- eral, your obedient ser\ant, James Ducroy.' Aha! Lily, didn't I make a rich haul to- night ? No shrimps in the net this time, eh, girrr' The fair girl's eyes dilated as she looked into the sharpshooter's face, and joined in his laugh. "You've got to be the keeper of these papers— not the government at Washing- ton," he continued, addressing her. " Why. Scott would arrest Ducroy five minutes after he had mastered their ooiiteiils, and the rope wuiil.i i-ihiirlid his ui-ik ainl f^'i- ever prevent r■■■^lllutil■ll. No, Lil\, lh,,-,c documents must ?tav lic-rc. I'm not the iii-r- sou to kci'p rill, I..r I'm '^oiug foi^vard with thel)lui-i(>ai> to-im.i i,,H. Melville Dare, the con^;i< s>iiiaii - m. •^„.ui;l^, and the pigeon I pliu-liid lii-ui-ht, lias [Moiuised to meet me whercvi'i tin- armiis lu.i^agi-, and, of course, I wimklu't disappoint liim tor the world. Shurpshootei- Dit'k placed the captured papers ill the girl's hands as he finished speaking, and lelt the chair to stand proud- ly beside her. It was a pretty tableau— the sharpshooter, clad in his rough but striking backwoods costume, and the young girl with her plain garments and lovely face. They were lovers, of course. Several years before, Dick Griswold had drifted into Alexandria, there to encounter his future fate in the eyes of Lily Donway. The girl's mother was living at that time, but siu6e then death nad taken her away, leaving the girl entirely alone to support herself with the needle, which she plied with an industry that kept the little home which she inhabited her own, and euabled her to keep a meager sum— enough for the prov- erbial "rainy day"— in a savings bank at the capital. Time was when the Donways were not in ■uch reduced circumstances; but it was when Li'.y was a babe, and far from Alex- andria. Abner Don way was a flourishing farmer in one of the then new western states. To his ruin, he was of a speculative turn of mind, always to eager to amass riches hastily by investments. "He had a home and a nice farm ; but, in an unlucky day, both slipped away. A speculative company— in other words, a gigantic scheme of fraud— was devised by headed by a man who shall be nameless in this chapter. The plans of the vultures succeeded only too well, and one morning the Donways rose to discover that they had no longer a home which they could call their own. Abner's wife had believed, with her too gaged their home to obtain money to put into the scheme, which, in their eyes, was to yield such golden profits, and it was taken from them. After the crisis, Abner Donway's mind failed him, and at last the grave closed over the sorrows of a broken-hearted man. The widow and her only child, Lily, then a prattling babe, were thrown upon the mercies of an uncharitable world. They had to begin anew. The mother struggled bravely against the tide. They lived in many places before they took up their residence in Alexandria, where, by industry and diligence, they won a little home, and were living happily beneath its roof when death called the mother away and left Lily alone in the world. Her beauty, growing daily like a lovely plant, in the very shadow of the Capitol, as It were, could not but attract attention. She might have scores of suitors if she had not shown a decided preference for the hand- some hunter who came occasionally to Alex- andria, and always to her little home. To Sharpshooter Dick she had told the story of her life, keeping back nothing, though a part of the narrative was always told in tea***. Then it was that the bronzed and sym- gathizing fellow would bring his clinched and down upon the little sewing-table, and declare that one of these days the past should be atoned for and restitution should be made. Let us return to the night which has wit- nessed the events we have recorded in the preceding chapters and the first part of this. During the days of which we write the secrets of the Union generals were poorly kept. The whole North, and the South for that matter, knew that McDowell was going to advance upon Manassas, and the order in which the march would be made. Almost every barouche in Washington had been engaged by congressmen and other prominent men , who were going to form a part of the grand army about to move. Nobody attempted to check this foolish- ness, for those high in authority believed that the Confederates would be speedily de- feated, and that the army would rest awhile at Mauiissas, and then push on to Richmond. Never were "good judges" so terribly de- . .n ('(1 before. A part of these congressional barouches had alieady crossed the Long Bridge, and were at Alexandria. More were to come. Among the number first mentioned was one drawn by two niaiiuitlecnt iron-grays in silver-mounted harness. The vehicle— a si)lendid carriage, with windows of thick plate glass— stood in front of a prominent building occupied by a since celebrated Union officer. The carriage was quite empty as it stood in the gray dawn, but the coloicd --,,^,— x...* j ed Bull ] THE WAR LIBRARY. Their Tietories have been swallowed up by the one great disaster that darkens the rec- ord of the year '61. The Union army, which had been stationed at Alexandria, moved forward ou the six- teenth of July, butit was not until the morn- ing of the twenty-first, owing to numerous delays, that it approached the real battle- ground. While the front of McDowell's magnificent columns was a brilliant line of blue, the rear of the army was a sight. We need not refer to it further than to say that it oousisted of a motley crowd of spec- tators, men in carriages, ou horseback, and in vehicles of every description. Members nf congress, newspaper reporters, mercliants, siuTuiators, .judges, preachers and otlicfs vvddf u\> this crowd, Seiiii' 1,1 (ill- turnouts were drawn Ixy four horses, aii'l tin; uIkjU' scene had the appear- songs were sung, and e march to Bull Run ; lis idotcy displayed on Toasts v,.M( jokes irackc- there was la theretuiai t.i It was six o'clock un the licautilul Sab- bath morning of the twciitv-liist. wluai Tyler's thirty-poiiud rill.d I'am.tt t;uii broke the calm of tlie pcacclul dawn, ami told the Union commander that he was in position, and ready tor the conUict. Shortly afterward, the roar of Hunter's guns announced that he had engaged the enemv— and all along the line raged the battle. The contest soon became spirited, as the blood of the combatants grew heated. Most of the Union troops were raw men, fresh from the workshops and fields of the north; but they met the foe gallantly, and fought, where theflght washottest, with the coiii-age of veterans. " You'll never come back alive if you at- tempt to creep nearer to that breastwork," said a young officer to a man whose hunting clothes were fringed along the buckskin seams. " I reckon Dick Griswold knows his busi- ness, captain," was the response. " I'm here under no orders; an' I guess Killbuck an' I will do pretty much as we ijlease. I'm in this battle on my own hook, an' you'll ex- cuse me if I go where I like, whether you want me to or not." The Union officer made no reply, and Sharpshooter Dick crept forward to a tree upon which he had fastened his eyes. It was some distance in advance of a part of the Union army, and not far from some stout breastworks which the Confederatts had thrown up, and manned well with some destructive cannon, whose shells were screamingand bursting through the wood. "Now, Killbuck, do your duty," said the mountaineer to his handsome rifle. "Jes' show the rebs that you can bring down all kinds of game. We'll give 'em an opener now, jes' to let 'em know that we're in the vicinity." At that moment a Confederate approach- ed one of the cannon for the purpose of dis- charging it. The cool breeze had lifted the smoke of the last discharge, and the figure of the ar- tilleryman could be distinctly seen. His hand was about to perform its duty when the sharpshooter's rihe spoke, and the soldier dropped out of sight. "One — the first man!" said Sharpshooter Dick, thrusting another cartridge into his rifle. " Now, there's another chap what's mighty anxious to let that same cannon off. Look out for your brainpan, my friend !" The deadly riflo spoke again, and the second ( '(infrderate reeled from the gun. "You havi'iit forjrot ycr cunning, Kill- buck!" I'jaculatcil Dick." "You've stirred up a hornets' n