Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1900-03-31
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There WIS Il simmer of crimson light
in til sky as he rode along. Sitting
square and deep in the saddle with an
attitude that changed little as his horses
gait varied from lopc to trot, from trot
to walk or from walk to lopc, his eyes
fixed straight ahead. the scout rode, alb
soiutcly alone.
Solitude and silence had been his por-
ton 80 much that language was to him
a cUro Il rarity, n luxury. lie seldom
heard the sound of human voice, and
when he did he listened deeply and an
severed deliberately, for his supply of
speech waG not great. AS he rode thcr"
cHI.. Il scream from afar ovcrhCad-a
shrick 4 sciCCch But he did not look
upward.
IL" knew the voice was the voice of
Springfield ball, high in the air. Man
and horse lay down and waited. Neither
moved. but both watched.
On the brow of little knoll, far away.
he saw Il bush wave too fast. 1t was far
away. but he lcvclcd his rifle and fired.
Then horse and man arose as if lay
mutual understanding, and turning from
the knoll he rode, the report of the guns
behind him merely urging him to hasten.
He was not afraid He was not cN-
cited.
He did not expect to die. He did not
expect to live.
Late that night he reached the post,
delivered his orders and turned to GO
The captain stopped him.
4, ha In
asked
The scout looked hard, as if dgcsting
the query Then he thought. At last ne
answered:
only some Indians"
How many"
"Was SEVEN" said the scout. "Now
six
"On the warpath?' asked the captain
The scout looked troubled, as though
bored by the questions.
They fred was all he said.
Now, then, the war was on i'll earnest.
But the scout ever after avoided the cap
tain as a man who talked too much.
In the grounds noncommissioned Off
GERS passed to and fro, bent on the duties
of the day. New recruits were being
drilled, singly and in squads. Now and
again stiff young lieutenant crossed to
the officers quarters or, bent on inSpec-
ton went through the form of cXamin-
ing quarters to see whether the dust had
been property brushed away and the floor
duly swept Presently Il soldier entered,
walked to where the scout lay, and said:
Colonel wants you
The scout remained immovablc for
few seconds. Then he turned to the mes
sengcr and looked him Squarcly in the
eye. Then he arose, deliberately dressed,
drew on his long boots, bucklcd his belt
with the ammunition and rcvolvCrs in
place, and stallcd to quarters. The or
derby halted him ut the door
Colonel wants me-" he said.
He passed in. The colonel ignored the
lack of IL salute for the keen eyed man
before him was not a soldier, but IL civil
ian employee. Then he said:
"'rhCrc is Il woman here, the wife Of
Lieutenant Jasper, who is wounded at
the ferry. She wants to join her hus-
band. You must guide her over"
The scout looked half terrified.
"Woman:" he asked. The question
had Il world of meaning, for the colonel
knew of the hoStilcS ON the road. the dan
gers of the trail itself, its double dangers
for Il woman. He nodded.
Bad said the scout.
"Can't be helped" said the colonel.
The scout stood still Il moment Then
he turned and walked out AS he reach
ed the parade ground he saw Il. woman
before the officers quarters. The sight
revived his memory.
In few minutes he was back ut the
cooncl's quarters. his horse saddlcd, his
blankets rolled behind the cantlc, the
rifle slun% by the horses side, the RATA
coilcd carefully over the saddle post.
Tell him I'm ready" he said grutiy
to the orderly. The soldier turned in dis
gust. He WAS not used to unccremonious
orders. But the scout was impcnctrable.
So the orderly went.
When the scout was ordered in, he saw
Il little woman wearing a short riding
habit. He looked ut her indiffcrcntly.
The colonel spoke. saying he was the
best scout III the post, and she might feel
safe with him.
Il feel it," she said
The scout broke silence. Better not
CO." h" said.
"Oh, must" was her answer.
They rode away together. All the
night long they rode halting during the
day. On the third morning, rs the wo-
man was about to lie down for Il few
was about to deliver an Grafton.
"Only six miles" he said.
Fear of the hoStilcS had fOrsakcn her,
and they rode rapidly ON, Indifferent alike
to the whistle OF the bullets, the wells of
the braves. and the efforts of small par
ties of bucks to head them off. Closer
and CLOSER to the camp and then, as the
sentry challenged. the scout turned and
let the woman ride ahead.
He faced the hostlcS for a moment.
Then he looked around and saw the
guard rush forth and welcome the faint
ing wife The dancing braves Jared on
his sight. He turned back to where the
woman had entered the camp, and then
followed her.
The officer of the guard almost Rugged
him. Men gathered about him. The
captain claSpcd his hand. The wounded
lieutenant, now almost well, wcpt.
The talk annoyed him.-Phiadelph
Times.
Docking Horses.