Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1893-10-05

eft Is q fire." tho girl replied. 'sseei
e expands and fallS. Evan, can It be .
eampfre?"
mot much!" he answered, lightly.
"We're way beyond our lines; and
surely no Yanks could camp so near
them without our scouts knowledge.
By Jove, Cousin Caro-, really believe
the legion man has made you nervous!"
Caution and nervousness are not
akin, as an older soldier would know"
Miss Clay retorted, rather coldly. Il
have too much at stake to risk any dam
ger can avoid Oh, Evan. must get
to Baltimore tomorrow"
s'And so you shall, my dear, brave
girl!' the boy answered, confidently.
''See that open hilltop just beyond?
From that we strike the last fork of this
trail-good road and short mile down
hill to the Ferry 1t can't be much
past midnight; and old Pete has orders
to wait till the very last minute he
dares, before dawn. Brace up, coz!
You've been over this same trail three
times"
ssAnd never felt shadow of doubt
BEFORE" she interrupted, adding, with
a sigh that would come: sit is because
have so much more at stake than ever
before. But it is nearly over, thank
Godv'
The steaming horses breasted the hill
bravely and reached the open crest. An
easy slope led away into broad, white
road, now we'll carpeted with winters
wool. Just at it's foot a narrow belt of
trees stretched away to the left, leaving
the black river plainly visible from the
bold bluffs to the right, and through
those trees cut narrow road, dark and
dismal through the broader CLEAN Of
the snow haze, now scarce less light
than day.
There! Ellis fork-just one mile to
the landing" cried the scout, as they
raced at speed down the sandy slope
and nearly up to the bisecting trail,
the hoofbeats ringing no longer, but
thudding dull on the dampened sand.
Suddenly with one impulse both rid
ers wrenched their horses mouths so
fercely as to bring them almost to their
launches. Then both sat like statues,
their necks strained forward, ears bent
eagerly towards the woods road, just
| ahead. In the dead stiffness, the deep
breathing of the steaming horses was
the only sound, save, to them, the quick
beating of their own hearts.
So, for seconds that seemed ages.
Then the scout whispered low, as
though in answer to question:
Eyes; hoofs! 'S-sh!-clank of sabers!
| Quick! into the trees! Quick! Go
softly"
Both horses were turned simultane-
| ously into the screen of trees, well back
from the CLEAN of the open road; and
Evan Fauntleroy, placing himself be-
| tween the girl and the approaching
sounds, leaned from his saddle, straight
ened her bride, felt the roan's bit, and
| gently stroked his great neck. Then be
rose in his stirrups, stretching the cold
cramp out of his legs, braced himself
afresh in the saddle, and tested the
chamber Of the big revolver drawn from
| his holster.
The tramp Of hoofs was now plainly
heard, cut by the clank of sabers-per-
haps five or six-perhaps score.
"Cavalry!' the scout whispered to the
girl. Probably our scouts; posi-
bly,"
He hesitated only a second; but she
calmly finished for him:
aVcT1ll IL 81, WuACA way.
eff they're Yanks, they are feeling
for our pickets," Evan whispered back.
They'll go east, over the road we came.
We can cut through the woods road and
dodge them in the bottom"
''No! If they pass us, straight for the
Ferryr" The girls whisper was calm,
but it's clear, bell-like ring carried COM
mand not to be gainsaid.
"sThe Ferry then, if they pass u.s."
the man replied, adding, quietly: ''Put
up that thing" He noted the motion
of her hand, testing the chamber of a
pistol; and by the CLEAN of white skin
he dimly saw, too, that she had drawn
the gauntlet from her pistol hand
PUT that up, say. If they be Yanks,
this is case of run, not fight. Listen;
for time is Short" The hoofs were
plainly heard now, q dozen horses trot-
| ting slowly towards them, a dozen
sabers jingling merrily against their
| TANKS. Listen, and remember. If
they see US, cut straight through these
woods for the trail they're on now.
Follow it straight south, till you strike
a rock fence; jump that, and you're in
an old field, where Blazer can distance
any cavalry horse any Yank owns. If
lose you in the dark woods, ride to the
nigger's hut across the field and turn
| Blazer loose. Tell Isham, the old mig
ger, Marse Evan said to hide you all
day and be sure to get you to the Fer
ry' at night. You understand"
II do-perfectly," the girl replied,
| still quietly. ''You mean to fight them
off while l run"
All this was quickly spoken, in whis-
pers, but clearly distinct on either side.
The approaching horses had turned into