The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1879-05-16
THE RANGERS CHASE.
A Western Story of the War of 1919.
BY J. L. MCCONNELL, AUTHOR OF talbot
AND VERNON" ETC.
CHAPTER w.
THE CAPTIVE FREE.

THE CAPTIVE FREE.
The neigh of horse, faint and distant
but unmstakable, had come floating up the
ravine upon the still night air. And though,
after waiting many minutes, it was not re-
peated, it had been so distinct as to exclude
all doubt.
ut must have come up the hollow" he
muttered, "from any other direction I could
never have heard it."
And, without. .hssitatinS for Sznaansut,
he prepared 70 go in the direction indica.
ted. Throwing his blanket at the foot of
the tree, he grasped his rifle, poured fresh
powder into the pan, lest the night air
might have affected the priming, and then,
drawing his belt around SO as to bring his
knife convenient to his hand, he set out
cautiously down the ravinc-one man in
pursuit of more than twenty
Cautiously and slowly he proceeded down
the bed OF the ravine-gradually descend
ing toward the lower level of the river bot.
tom. He was guided wholly by the little
rivulet which tinkled quietly along his path
for the dim starlight could not penetrate
the depth in which he walked and his
progress was consequently very slow The
! way was winding, too, and seemed alnost
to run parallel with the river X and its
channel grew deeper and more broken.
Other streams came flowing in on either
| haua, aud NJ every uIumenU lac vas UUm-
PEELED to halt and grope his way across the
gorges. Large trees stood obstinately in
his path and roots and briars, vines and
thickets, impeded his advance. But pa
tient perseverance,, strengthened by the hope
of rescuing the captive, still carried him
forward over every obstacle.
More than an hour had been spent thus,
and he had begun to listen more attentive.
ly, and, if possible, watch more closely for
signs of his enemies. He halted on the
brink of deep ravine, which furnished
channel for another small stream and, be.
fore venturing down into its bed, stopped
nearly to the ground, and remained for many
minutes profoundly listening to every sound.
The stiffness of night was quite unbroken,
and he was on the point of beginning the
descent, when his eye caught the fash, as
OF faint lightning playing briefly upon the
leaves at the bottom of the ravine It was
gone in moment and his first impulse was
to look up through the tree. tops at the sky.
But the stars were shining serensly-there
He watched for long time for its reappear.
ancc-but the darkness remained as deep
as before. 1t might have been a FREELY
yet it was strange that it was not repeated |;
and it had been, not so much light, as
flicker, like the blaze Of thin fuel, and it
had died out gradually, not suddenly dis.
appeared. While he stood irresolute, re.
flecting upon the singularity of the appear
ance, an imperfect sound, as very distant
thunder, seemed to float along the earth and
die away at his feet. He placed his ear to
the ground, and,again listened. The stamp.
ing of numerous horses became plainly
audible-and they could be but a short div,
tanna fsao'r&an1ar 'snough-and he had no
d'hcuity In determining its locality.
Hc at once rose to his feet and again ex.
amlned his arms. Moving cautiously and
slowly, he then descended tho bank until
ne reached the bottom of the rayine.-
Turning to the right, he glided silently and
stealthily along its bed for TWO Or three hun.
dred yards, when, on, coming to a bend
where the stony soil had. resisted the action
OF the elements, his progress was suddenly
arrested by stream of light which shone
from beyond the projection, and cast deep
shadows upon the opposite bank The fire
from which it came was evidently built
within tho rayine for concealment- it
was only from above that il could become
visible at any considerable distance.
10 approach nearer in this direction would
not be prudent-for, by the shadows on the
bank, Edgar could see that ut least twenty
horses were picketed just beyond the shoui.
der OF the ridge, and snort from ono of
these might attract attention. Hc had no
fear Of other sentinels he well understood
the Indian practice of posting none; for,
apparently so negligent are these most Wig.
liant OF all warriors, that even in their in
cursions, when they are constantly liable to
attack, every man lies down to sleep, trust
ing solely to concealment and their Mani.
tous for protection.
The ranger therefore slowly retreated a
few PAGES, and then silently climbed the
bank upon the left. From this point he
could see no light; but upon advancing
along the ridge, little nearer than he had
sentured below, he gained view, not only
OF the light, but also Of the fire, and the
formidable group around it
More than score Of swarthy Indians.
all in their war-paint and grotesaue orna.
ments, and each with his gun and toma-
| hawk beside him. sat smokino nne ,F,or ,ho