Dodge City times., 1890-12-26
CLOSE CALL.
ASTORY OFLOVEA EANDWAR.
BY ALFRED II. CALHOUN.
[CoPYRIenT, 1890, by Bscheuer & Co.

[CoPYRIenT, 1890, by Bscheuer & Col
CHAPTER VI-CoSTINUED.
This certainly confirmed Frank
Brent's story. Concealing the pleasure
4 the old mans words gave me, I deter
mined to take him in hand seriously.
what IS your name?' I asked.
George. McKee," he answered,
promptly.
''On which sas.< s.~ H--U 5tahdf
Tennessee"
"Been in,the army?"
"Ya-as, kinder OF Al IN like; but /
can't 90 too far away from the ole wom-
an; -howsomdever l got two boys fight
in foh the Guv'ment. Did have three.
but one got shot down Shiloh way long
with Meester Neelson."
"What commands arc your sons with?''
'One's in the Second Aist Tcnnes-
SEQ Cavalry, but uster be Kee-ahtah's s
critter regiment foah he got to be gin raj,
an the other-that's Mike, he's long
with Martins Battery B. Aist Tcnn'see,
fghtin' foh. the Gov'ment," and the old
man emphasized this declaration by an
other bombardment of the fire.
questioned. him at length, and be-
came satisfied that he was good Union
man and that his object in seeking me
out Was to guido mo through to Knox
vile by route that would free me from
the swarms of Confederate horsemen
then in that part of the State.
After visit of two hours, Mckee ro6e
and said:
'I'll be back long afoah sun up, an
I'll be ready to pilot you plum down to
the Holston, but ez hit amt wise to have
fellers bold carbines to yer hetd while
you explain, I'd be obleeged II you'd
give me writin' that IL nake me free
to come an 60, az il 1 was one O.
you'uns."
1 gave the old man pass, ordered .
trooper to see him through our picket
line, and, after he had gone, wrote out
all had heard about Frank Brent and
had Lieutenant Arnold sign it with me.
To make sure Of getting the informa-
ton through to Camp Dick Robinson l
decided to entrust the letter to Mckee
and to send him back as soon rs felt
sure of my ground.
CHAPTER VII.
The knowledge that the enemy was
all about us kept Arnold and myself
with the pickets all night. As matter
of precaution we extinguished the camp
fires, and threw up breastwork about
tho inclosure where the horses and
wagon mules were feeding. 1t was half
past three in the morning, and l was
with the picllets to the southwest of the
csms, when, from the direction Of
Knoxville, l heard the beat of hoofs,
eupxng on at a walk, and the unmistak-
able clatter of chains and scabbards.
SooA the black forms of horsemen, like
spectral silhouettcs, come to light
against tho stars. II these were Con-
federates, ] reasoned that they either had
the boldness of great strength or else they
were not aware of their proximity to .
Union force. When the foremost horse
man came within hail. shouted:
"Halt! who goes there?"
In the unmistakable accent Of the
Cumberland mountains, the answer
came:
"Mebbe friends and mebbe foes. Who
the blazes are you?'
"DismOunt and advance--one at q
time," / commanded, as the dark horse
men appeared to rise from the ground
all about me.
As the strangers did not show Q dis
position to comply, l was about to give
the order to fire, when voice, that had .
familiar ring in it, called out:
Hello, thar; is that Harry Watts?'
That's my name," replied. "Who
are you?"
"Wolford's Fust Kaintuck. A fightin'
fob tho Guv'ment, by goshI" came the
thrilling reply.
'Is that you, Ferd?'
"'Tain't no one else"
"And Wolford?"
He'll be up shortly with the req
ment. Thunderi we're out huntin'
Brent's damn partisans, and thought
we'd jumped EN-"
The speaker threw himself from his
horse, and running up I found myself
in the arms Of my gallant friend, Cap
tain Ford, Of the famous First Ken
tucky Cavalry. or ..c.ly.rv.- "a h.lf th.
men called themselves
Before daylight the whole reriment
was uu. but instead Of .dv.noanr an ono
line. thew svarmed In froam evr- ,oi,t
of the compass.