The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-01-11

and fxed them again upon the group OF
man and horse in the sky, and again II was
through the sights of his rife. He was
calm now. His teeth were firmly but not
rigidlv closed; his nerves were as tranquil
as a sleeping baby's; not tremor affected
any muscle OH body; his breathing, until
suspended in the act Of taking aim. was
regu ar and slow. Duty had silenctd CON
science; the spirit had said TO the Dody
peace, be still" lie fired.
AT this moment an officer Of the Federal
force. VINO in spirit Of adventure or III
auest OF knowledge had left the hidden
biyouac In the valley, and climbing the
slope had made his way 10 the lower leuEe
of "A small open space near the lnoi OF lne
cliff. Was considering what be had 10 gam
by pushing his explorations further. Az
distance Of quarter OF a mile before nihi'
but apparently at stones throN' iOse
from its fringe Of pines the gigantic lace Oh
rock, towering to 80 great height above MN
that il made him giddy 10 look up To where
its edge cut sharp, rugged line against
the skv. At some distance away 10 his
ripht il presented a clean. vertical prohle
against back ground Of blue sky 10 point
half the way down and Of the distant hills
hardly less blue thence to the tops OF the
tree. al its base. Lifting bis eyes To the
dizzy altitude Of its summit the Oflcer saw
an astonishing sight--a man On horseback
riding down into the valley through the ar.
Straight upright sat the rider, in military
fashion. with firm seat In the saddle a
strong clutch upon the rein to hold bis
charger from too impetuous plunge.
From his bare head his long III arr strethieu
upward. waving IKE plume. HIS rlsu'
hand was concealed in the cloud vi W
horses lifted name. The animaIs Dody
was AZ level as il every hOOi-stroke en-
countered the resistant earth. It's motions
were those OF a Wild gallop but even a. Tue
on;cer looked they ceased. with all ths legs
,hro,yn .harplv forward as in the act OF
aiigbtjng from a leap. But this was a
flight. -., 400. t,v this
an,arition Of hOrsemaR in the sky-nall
relieving himself the chosen scribe Oh sohic
now Apocalypse, the officer was oNcIcOh,
Inv the intensity Of his emOtlonsi DIS re-
failed him, and he tell. Almost NJ ,he sSiii
instant he heard a crashing SOUND III lne
I trees-a sound that died without an echo'
and all was stu. ...-..t.,;,,, Tho
e,n,iiiar sensation of an abTaded shin re-
called his dsZed faculties. Pulling hlmseIl
togetbpr he ran rapidly obliquely backward
! fron, the cliff to point hall mile from III
foot Tbere2b0ut he expected 10 hnu ms
man and theTeabout h naturally lalieu
In tho 0roting instant Of his vision his IN
a+in.tion had been so wrought upon 10y The
ann,rent grace and ease and intention Oh
! he msrvelou. performance that II dld n'l
occur 10 him that the line OF narch OIL aeIia
cavalry is directly downward, ana lhs. u,
could fud the object Of his search at tne
very foot of the clin. An hour lale' III
returned 10 camp. /, t.o.
The officer was a wise maE; he knew
bstter than 10 tell an incredible truth. ne
said nothing Of what h. had seen. bu
when the commander asked him II IN M
scout he mad learned anything OF adNahlds'
IN the expeditOn he answered
nYes sir: there is ne road leading dowf
into his valley from the southwark"
Afier firing his shot Private Carter Dru-'
reloaded his rife and resumed ms Natch
Ten minutes had hardly passed Wneh
Federal sergeant crept cautiously 10 MN ~
hands and knees. Druse neither turned III
head nor looked at bin. but lay Wi'uou
motion or sign Of recognition.
Did you iire" the sergeant Whispered
! Yes
at whatW
a horse. II was standing on yonde
rock-pretty far out. You see 1t 10 no lohs
or there. j am a great marksmani !D'
know once shot a match with the deNll II
hell and beat him"
The sergeant was shocked and startled
He looked searchingly at Druse. The man
face was white; his eyes were restless an,
glittered with a strange, HncanhY hgn'
The sergeant, still on hands ana knees III
Voluntarily backed a little way from him.
..sce here. Druse." said he. after mo
mont, silence. Its no use maSing my .
terv. | order YOU to report Was there any.
boiy-anybody at all-eXcept the horse z
ID, YOU mean the horse which Nat
wingsf" .,
"Wen. yes, if that's the kind Of horse yol
shot. Was there anyone elsef
"Yes"
"WhOf'
"My father"
The sergeant rose to his feet and wake
RAPIDLY down the road toward the valley
Ambrose Berce in san Francisco Exam
ner.