Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1901-03-30

more than half our force was raw mill
tia. The odds were great against US.
and knowing 1t | did not reply to her
taunt.
While we were talking she sat in the
saddle with the easy seat Of a good
horsewoman. | held my horse loosely
by the Bride. She was twlddling the
/ whip in her bands Suddenly she leaned
over and dashed my horse across the
eyes with her whip The blow was
given with all her might, and the
startled horse reared, Jerked the birdie
out Of my hand and ran away
"Goodby, Mr. Rebell she shouted,
and drawing her whip across her own
horse ~galloped off in the opposite dlrec-
tion.
/ believe / swore. / was angry and
alarmed, too, for this girl, with her
messages and accurate news about us,
was a formidable enemy, escaped, and
might cause the destruction of the en-
tire army of the south and the loss of
all the southern colonies. / drew a pis-
toll. it being my idea to kill the horse.
but it was a shot that / could not risk.
/ thrust the pistol back in my pocket
and ran after my horse. He was 30 or
40 yards away, half mad with rage and
pain, his bride swinging beside him.
/ am a very good runner, but / do not
claim to be as swift as a horse. Never
theless / made speed as I ran after him,
and | whistled and shouted with a vigor
that must have convinced him of my
intentions. l looked back once, and the
girl and the horse she rode were growing
smaller as they sped over the desolate
and unfenced fields My need of a horse,
too, was growing more pressing. Mount
ed, there was hope; afoot. there was
none.
l whistled all the calls that q friend
ly and well treated horse should know
and meantime did not neglect to run
after him with the best speed that /
could command. Presently he seemed to
understand and to remember that / was
not responsible for the blow. He slack
ened his pace, looked back over his
shoulder at me and whinnied- / whis-
tied e~ncouragingly, he whinnied again,
and. remembering who l was, his best
friend, came TO a full stop, for he was a
most intelligent horse In a half q min
ute l overlook him, leaped into the sad
die and turned his head the other way.
"Now, old horse" l. cried, '.you can
gallop, but you gallop my way"
l wore my spurs, and l gave him a
touch of the steel. That was enough,
for he was always ambitious and proud
Of his speed, and away we flew over the
fields after the disappearing girl. She
was a full quarter of a mile away, and
her figure was growing dim on the hori-
zon. Another quarter of a mile and
she would be in the woods, where the
concealment of the trees would enable
her to elude my pursuit Moreover,
these English girls are often daring
horsewomen, and even at the distance l
could see that she rode like a trooper.
But | knew the country, and she did
not, and | hoped to secure from it some
chance that would enable me to over
Ia
I encouraged my horse. | did more
than encourage appealed to his pride
and his sense of gratitude. l reminded
him how | had ridden him all the way
from the Hudson when l came south
with Greene; how ! had tended him and
cared for him and fed him, often when
/ was compelled to go hungry myself.
/ appealed to him now not TO let that
girl escape when so much depended OF
her capture, when | would be e~ternally
disgraced. and he with me, if we per-
mitted ourselves to be tricked and out
witted at such a time by one red checked
English girl.
He was a sensible horse, and he I'M
derstood. He said nothing, not ven a
little snort, but his stride heightened,
and the swift and regular beat OF his
hoofs on the turf was music.
Good horse. Old Put, good ladr' l
said | had named him Put after Old
Put. the famous old Connecticut gen
eral. because he was so reliable and
steady He shook his ears slightly as a
sign that he would do his best for me,
having no time to say more, and he ran
a little faster. | kept "a sharp watch for
stones and holes in the ground, having
no mind to risk "A fall which might ruin
al, anu nuAoch my SOAAAduV . SthVhEthi
for on land as well as sea a stern chase
is a long one.
The figure of the girl and the horse
she rode was growing larger, good proof
that / was gaining, which was not
enough, however. for | might continue
to gain, and yet she could elude me in
the woods unless | was close upon her
when she reached them Her long hair
had fallen down and was streaming be-
hind her like a ribbon of spray with the
sunshine ON it, but | felt like giving
that yellow hair a jerk just then could
/ have put my hands upon it.
STEADY, Putt | said to my faithful
eomrade. DO you see that girl with