The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1891-06-17

| try. NOW man from your county
Lawson, think they call the fellow
says you ride like cen5aur, so this,
with your other qualities we are more
familiar with, has driven us to offer you
the post of danger"
"And Of honor" Major Hopkins add
ed solemnly. "There will be quick pro-
motion for you, lad, If you are success
full"
Both officers looked wistfully for his
reply.
"0f course will go, SIR" Frank said,
curtly. "When do you wish me to
start?"
spoken like the brave boy knew you
werel" the Major said, with enthusiasm.
"Why, do you know, Besant, have had
the greatest difficulty in persuading the
Colonel to give you this chance. He was
so afraid Of seeming ungrateful for the
services you have rendered his son-just
as If the highest prize to lad of your
mettle was not the post of danger"
Frank did not, it must he confessed,
keeenly appreciate the Majors logic;
but while he had no foolhardiness In
his disposition, he was resolved that he
would at all hazards do his duty, for his
was not one of those dashing spirits that
loved danger for dangers sake, though
when ne ,essitous peril came he would
be the last to shrink from it.
"You must be ready to start at the
first glimmer Of dawn" the Colonel
continued. "You will carry no arms
but these revolvers." He laid his hand
as he spoke on two heavy pistols, which
were on his camp-table. "You will
bear no written message, which might
get you into trouble if you were caught
by the enemy. And you will ride the
best part of the journey in company
with young farmer, who has promised
to be your guide-at any rate as far as
the Springfield pike, which will lead
you to General Lyons headquarters.
AS for money, you had better go well
heeled, for silver shield is often
mans best protection.
He pulled out his purse as he spoke.
Don't mind that, sir" Frank said,
hastily. 81 have more about me now
than it is perhaps prudent for me to
carry"
"Well, spare no expense. You shall
not be the loser, Now to rest, for you
will have heavy day before you. l
will see you in the morning and give
you final instructions"
And the last words Frank heard as he
left the Colonels tent were:
"If any thing happens to that boy,
Hopkins, shall never forgive myself"
Cold and gray the morning broke
though it was in early August. Frank
had slept the sleep Of the weary, and 1t
seemed to him as If he had not lam on
his blanket more than short hour
when an orderly reused him for the
days adventures.
He sought at once the Colonels tent,
where he found good meal awaiting
him, which he had hardly dispatched
when Colonel Fulton himself entered.
"Now," he said, "for your instruc-
tions. Ride your hardest, but do not
kill your horse by OVERRIDING it. Avoid,
as far as you can, all villages. And,
when you reach General Lyon, tell him
that ace are coming. That is all. Go
now, and God be with your
Frank followed the orderly to aclump
Of trees quarter of mile from the
camp, where he found rough young
country fellow standing beside two
serviceable-looking horses, of the breed
that has made Western Missouri IA
mous-light, strong, wiry animals,
sure-footed as mules and gifted with an
endurance rivaling that Of the steed
Of the Arabs. The man himself was
the typical product Of the sofia hardy,
'sun-buInt fellow, with long flowing
black locks, dressed in homespun, wear
ing long cowhide boots, and carrying at
his waist belt equipped with a. small
arsenal Of pistols and nmmunition-not
at all the kind of gentleman a nervous
traveller would care 70 meet on q lonely
road, though there were few honester
young fellows, as times went, than
Richard Swayhe.
The Westerner eyed the soldier with
keen glance Of criticism, as he looked
TO the trappings Of the horse allotted
him, frightened the gEth of the saddle,
adjusted the stirrup-leathers and
mounted.
"Shake!" he said, laconically, stepping
up to Franks side and stretching forth
q big, brown, SCARED hand, whose |
horny cuticle would have puzzled the
modern philosopher Of palmistry.
Frank grasped the proffered hand
with eagerness. Each read in the
others eye true patent of nobility.
"My names Dick Swayne," the
brawny young farmer exclaimed.
"What's your'n2"
Frank Besant."
No time nor need of further words.
Swayne sprang to the saddle and led |
the way at brisk gait, half-trot, half.
canter, which the horses seemed to
take Of their own accord. From the
start the roads were execrable, If you
could dignity by the name Of roads the
thin beaten tracks which lay across the
wooded ridges, and which never
seemed to turn aside for any obstacle
less formidable than precipice, now
climbing till the horse had literally to
scramble for a footing, now speeding
over declivities so steep that Frank,
with all his skill in horsemanship, ex-
pected to find himself flying over the
beasts ears at every step he took.