hat an extraordinary emergency had arisen from some
assault upon Innis's position, no one dropped a word in his hearing to
give him the slightest clue to the nature of the attack. The troopers
about him preserved a morose and ill-natured silence, and even
manifested towards him a harsh and resentful demeanor. He heard the
firing, but what troops were engaged, by whom led, or with what chances
of success, were subjects of the most painfully interesting doubt. He
could only conjecture that this was a surprise accomplished by the
Whigs, and that the assailants must have come in sufficient force to
justify the boldness of the enterprise. That Horse Shoe was connected
with this irruption he felt fully assured; and from this circumstance he
gathered the consolatory and cheerful prognostic of a better issue out
of his afflictions than, in his late condition, seemed even remotely
possible. This hope grew brighter as the din of battle brought the
tidings of the day to his ear. The first few scattered shots that
told of the confusion in which the combat was begun, were, after an
interval, succeeded by regular volleys of musketry that indicated an
orderly and marshalled resistance. Platoon after platoon fired in
succession--signifying, to the practised hearing of the soldier, that
infantry was receiving the attacks of cavalry, and that as yet the first
had not faltered. Then the firing grew more slack, and random shots were
discharged from various quarters--but amidst these were heard no
embodied volleys. It was the casual and nearly overpowered resistance of
flying men.

At this juncture there was a dark frown on the brow of Curry, as he
looked at his comrades, and said, in a low and muttered tone, "That
helter-skelter shot grates cursedly on the ear. There's ill-luck in the
sound of it."

Presently a few stragglers appeared at a turn of the road, some quarter
of a mile in the direction of the battle, urging their horses forward at
the top of their speed. These were followed by groups both of infantry
and cavalry, pressing onwards in the utmost disorder--those on horseback
thrusting their way through the throng of foot-soldiers, seemingly
regardless of life or limb; the wounded with their wounds bleeding
afresh, or hastily bandaged with such appliances as were at hand. All
hurried along amidst the oaths, remonstrances, and unheeded orders of
the officers, who were endeavoring to resume their commands. It was the
flight of men b