ivity to be seen till the
enemy came to the top of the hill, and the riflemen were likely to
bring them to a halt before they could reach that point. The captain
had taken a position where he could see without being seen. Sooner than
he expected he saw the head of the Confederate column, and ten minutes
later the riflemen began the discharge of their pieces. The first man
to drop from his saddle was the commander of the company, who was the
most conspicuous mark at the head of his command.

CHAPTER X

THE SHARPSHOOTERS OF MILLERSVILLE

The forty-two riflemen of the Home Guard were sharpshooters who had
practised for many years with the weapon, both as hunters and by firing
at a mark. Some of them were past the military age; and the lieutenant
in command of the detachment was sixty years old, and he had won his
spurs as the best shot in the town. He was a man of influence, and his
skill had procured him his present position in the company.

Lieutenant Ripley was at the right of the line of sharpshooters. He had
stationed his men in the woods, and ordered them not to fire till he
did so; and they were to load and fire at will after he had given the
first discharge. When the captain of the Confederate cavalry dropped
from his horse, it was known by whose shot he had fallen. A couple of
men were ordered to dismount, and bear him to the side of the roads;
and the lieutenant who succeeded to the command ordered a halt.

Captain Gordon and Colonel Halliburn were behind the farmer's house,
where they had retired, not to avoid the bullets of the enemy, but to
obtain a position where they could see without being seen. The horse of
the former stood on a knoll, from which his rider could look over the
corner of the low building, and the latter was at his side. Both of
them saw the captain of the company fall from his horse.

"Ripley fired that shot," said the colonel. "He was never known to miss
his aim when he had fair play."

"That was a good beginning, at any rate," added the captain.

"But why don't the next man in the line fire?" mused the commander of
the Home Guard, uttering his thought.

They could not know then the reason; but they learned afterwards that
the lieutenant had ordered them not to do so, as he wished to observe
the effect of the death of the captain, for he had not moved after he
fell. The company seemed to be staggered by the event for the space of
a minute. The men all turned their heads to