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 unmistakablc, 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.
"lt must have come up the hollow" he
muttcred, "irom any other direction could
never have heard it,"
And, misunderstanding for asmemsut,
he prepared to go in the direction indica-
ted. Throwing his blanket at the foot of
the tree, he grasped his rife, poured fresh
powder into the pan, lest the night air
might have affected the printing, 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 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
to run parallel with the river;* and it's
channel grew deeper and more broken.
Other streams came flowing in Oh either
hanu, and Ut every momenV hv mus Uom-
PEELED to halt and grope his way across the
gorges. Large trees stood obstnately in
his path and roots and briars vines and
thickets, impedcd 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
y, and, if possible, watch more closely for
signs of his enemies. He halted on the
brink of deep ravine, which furnished a
channel for another small stream; and, be-
fore venturing down into it's 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 flash, as
of faint lightning playing briefly upon the
leaves at the bottom of the ravinc 1t was
gone in a moment and his first impulse was
to look up through the tree. tops at the sky.
But the stars were shining serenely-there
was not the slightest cloud in the heavens.
He watched for long time for its reappcar.
ancc-hut the darkness remained as deep
as before. 1t might have been ire.fy
yet it was strange tEat it was not repeated
and it had been, not 50 much light, as Il
flicker, like the blaze of thin fuel, and it
had died out gradually, not suddenly dis
appeared. While he stood irrcsolutc, re.
hcctng upon the singularity of the appear.
ancc, 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 SHORT die
tance fsop' .&irnlar enough-and he had no
difficulty in determining it's locality.
lie at once rose to his feet and again cx
amlncd his arms. Moving cautiously and
slowly, he then descended the bank until
he reached the bottom of the ravnc.-
Turning to the right, he glidcd silently and
stealthily along its bed for two cr three hun.
drcd yards, when, on, coming to a bend
where the stony soil had resisted the action
OF the clements, 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 the ravinc for concealmcnt-ror it
was only from above that it could become
visible at any considerable distance.
TO approach nearer in this direction would
not be prudcnt-for, by the shadows on the
bank, Edgar could see that at least twenty
horses were pckcted just beyond the shoul.
der OF the ridge, and snort from one of
these might attract attention. He had no
fear Of other scntincls 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.
cursons, when they are constantly liable to
attack, every man lies down to sleep trust
ing solely to conccalmcnt and their Mani.
tous for protection.
The ranger therefore slowly rctrcatcd a
few PAGES, and then silently climbed The
bank upon the left. From this point he
could sec no light; but upon advancing
along the ridge, a little nearer than he had
venturcd 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 grotcsque orna
mcnts, and each with his gun and toma
hawk beside him, sat smoking one after the
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