San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1893-01-16

ready beside him, the former deity
wrenching the pistol from his grasp.
Brief time it took to raise the quivering
horse from his riders leg and lift the
boy, pale with pain, to his feet.
EASY, boys! Wait bit! think that
left legs gone!'' he said, with catch
in his breath. "U-hgh! Ah-h! That's
better, Mister Yanll." And he put his
foot gingerly on the ground, tried to
rest upon it, then leaned heavily on the
stalwart sergeant.
''Who are you?" the. officer asked.
| "A confederate soldier" Evan replied.
"Scouting?"
mo: on leave" the other answered,
| quickly, his shrewdness returning as
| pain decreased.
What commando
| "Private, B troop, til Virginia Cav
airy" was the answer. 81 was riding
to farm below, with lady,-had no
notion any Yanks were across the river. I"
"You fred on u.s." the officer said,
sternly.
"But didn't-hit you!" the boy re-
torted, with grin half of pain and half
| of fun, trying to gain time for Carolyn
Clay and listening eagerly for any sound
| southwark.
"Dismounted Corporal Riley, SIR"
the sergeant reported to his officer, hand
| to cap.
THAT'S even, major" Evan retorted,
| quickly. You dismounted me. May I
ask ono favor, sir? My horse and are
old comrades" he added, with little
tremor in the voice. Twill you let the
sergeant put him out of pain?-No! not
that" He quickly threw up the car
bine the sergeant leveled at signal
from the major. There's one ball left
in my pistol; and I think poor old Jeb
would rather go that way"
The stout-hearted scout turned his
face aside. and the rough sleeve passed
swiftly across his eye!ids, as the federal
trooper sent the last confederate bullet
into the blacks brain.
"Are you badly hurt?" the officer
| asked.
"Past walking" Evan replied, with
qulck-repressed grunt of pain, as he
again tried to bear weight on his left
foot. mo bones broken, guess; but
pretty bad wrench"
Take him behind you, Dowd," the
major ordered. "Were wasting time"
And two stout pairs of arms raised the
captive, not urgently, and placed him
on the crup of the Irishman's horse.
Sergeant, send him back to head
quarters. Detail Riley to guard him."
the major ordered, wheeling his horse.
San infantry support, Paddy" whis-
pered Evan, as he gripped the Irish
mans waist.
"Hark! what's that?" muttered the
federal officer, suddenly checking his
horse and turning in saddle to listen.
"Platoon!-By right and left-as Sharna-
tshers-MARCH!'
An instant more, the road was clear,
the skirting woods on either hand con-
cealing the little force, and each mans
carbine at a ready"
For now, from southwark, plainly
sounded hoofs, at rapid trot; and soon
the jingle of accoutrements told of cav
airy advancing. In rear of the last
trooper, Evan listened with bated
breath.
Could they be rebs? Were they
Yanks? Had Carolyn evaded them,
friends or foes? Manned, disarmed,
and closely watched by the surly man
who owed him dismount, the chatting
captive could only listen and conjecture.
And nearer the horsemen trotted mer-
rily through the snow-now falling
heavily and soon a dark shadow
doomed up in distance.
Challenge, sergeant" whispered the
| major; and the troopers knees turned
his horse into the road, facing the in
truders, his carbine at dead aim.
Halt! Who goes there?"
Friends! With the countersign,"
came the answer. SIS Maj. Conyers
there, Sergt. Greer?"
II am here, Capt. Granger" the Off
Ger answered, riding out to his sub
altern. 'What brings your scout on
this trail? You were to take the lower
road" he added, in lower voice.
"We heard firing hearaway, SIR" the
younger soldier replied, in the same
tone. "And, besides, we had a chase
after the best piece of horsehesh and
pluckiest piece of womanhood l have
struck in rebeldom. She cut my shout
der strap with bullet, in reply to chal-
lenge, then took to cover and led us
through the woods like born fox
| hunter"
"And you let a woman escape you?"
The old majors voice was very dry.
Not finally, sir. Her horse pumped
] he must have been overridden-so we
hemmed her in at last. Sergt. Flynn"
he added, louder, advance with your
/ prisoner"