San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1893-01-14


the legion man has made you nervous!'
Caution and nervousness are not
akin, as an older soldier would KNOW"
Miss Clay retorted, rather coldly. 81
have too much at stake to risk any dam
ger can avoid. Oh, Evan, | must get
to Baltimore tomorrow"
"And so you shall, my dear, brave
girlr' the boy answered, confidently.
''See that open hilltop just beyondP
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, COIL
You've been over this same trail three
times" D..
And never felt a 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
God!"
The steaming horses breasted the hill
bravely and reached the open crest. An
easy slope led away into broad, white
road, now well carpeted with winters
WOOL Just at it's foot 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 a harrow road, dark and
dismal through the broader CLEAN of
the snow haze, now scarce less light
than day.
There! Ellis forlf-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 he
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 a score.
Cavalry" the scout whispered to the
girl. Probably our scouts; posi-
bly,"
He hesitated only second; but she
calmly finished for him:
"Averill's. If so, which way?"
"If they're Yanks, they are feeling
for our pickles" 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"
mo! 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.
1.-The 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
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 Yanlzs.
this is a case of run, not fight. Listen
for time is Short" The hoofs were
plainly heard now, dozen horses trot
ting slowly towards them, a dozen
sabers jingling merrily against their
TANKS Listen, and remember. II
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 uorSe any idnh OWLS. Ii
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 understaud?"
81 do-perfectly," the girl replied,
still quietly. 'You mean to fight them
off while rum"
All this was quickly spoken, in whis-
pers, but. clearly distinct on either side.
The approaching horses had turned into
the sandy road, trotting east towards
IL.