The National tribune., 1902-12-04

England if New England should secede.
Joe and Dan believed the South right and
that right must win, and they trotted on
at lively rate, in order to Overtake Stu
arts column, lest the winning should all be
done without them. Just here / must
pause to say something which. perhaps,
should have said ut the beginning of this
chapter. But what is the need of saying a
| thing that is evident? Why tell you that
twice two is four Why tell you that blood
in youthful veins runs warm? You are an
old man. minus Il leg lost at Bull Run or
the Wilderness, yet you are pleased that
this history is not all concerning battle, and
even you, with one leg in the grave and
the other not far from it, would think less
of Dan Morgan if he hadn't felt his heart
beat and his head swim when Lucy went
out of the room crying. No healthy lad
on earth could have stood it: even if he
had another sweetheart it would have
made, no difference; he would have yield
ed. The idea that a man can love but one
woman is nonsense; l remember gallant
yOuth-gOne to glory long ago, straight
frcm the crater at Petersburg-whose life
was yexed by the torture OF double love.
But Dan had no protection, no defense, no
excuse, and under he went, head and ears.
And Joe Lewis, too! Yes, Joe Lewis. too
But Joe doesn't count for very much in
this affair, because of the fact that he was
absolutely tickle in his attachments except
that which regarded his horse.
1t was midnight. The full moon rode
without film of cloud, so near the zenith
that the shadow Of Dams head fall on his
left thigh; the hoOf-beats on the red clay
road were regular-9O to the minute-fiye
miles an hour; Bull Run Mountain was far
behind
DAN" says Joe, "I'm a-thinkin' that
Stuart didn't go this road. The tracks
har hnn tn t,of hinty ~ s,r.f
Lets look, says Dan; lets get down
and look"
They dismounted; the tracks as far as
Aldie, had uninterruptedly pointed east
ward; here, too, there were tracks-plenty
of them-in the deep dust, but some were
going and some were coming. 1t was plain
enough in the moonlight.
Maybe Stuart did take this road, and
maybe some of Beauregard's men have
marched here since, coming this way" sug-
gested Dan.
II don't know what they would be a.
dOin' out here" grumbled his companion.
Didn't you hear Mr.. Armstrong say
that it might be part of the plan for Stu
art to march to Centerville and attack the
Yankees right fank:''
Yes; but what O. that? I'm not COM
plainin' o Stuart's goin' down this road:
what's worryin' me is that other people
are coming up it,
We'll, why shouldn't Beauregard send
his cavalry to meet Stuart and join in the
movement?'
Ride up this road and then ride back?
What for! IL they were comm to meet
us, they'd naturally stop and wait some
where down the road"
But maybe they came as far as Aldie,
and waited there
And you're willin' to go on, then?"
Whatever you decide on goes, Joe; I'm
only talking
Yes. but you talk pretty strong sense
a-thinkin of is that this road we're OH
goes straight to Fairfax. We're already
to the north o Bull Run. We'd better 20
slow and be keerful. Maybe we'd better
take the first right-hand road. l hate to
turn back; it brings bad luck.
They mounted and rode ON, but much
more slowly.
How far do YOU think If is IN Fairfax
JoeF'
Never Was there in my life; but ]
reckon. it's about 10 miles at rough
guess"
And how far to Centerville?"
Bout II; you see, Centerville is to
the right
And Manassas is still farther to the
right!"
"Yes. considerable"
And how long is it till day?''
Not more'n two hours; not more'n an
hour and half. What you mean by ask
in all them questiOns!'
II mean, for one thing, that we won't
be likely to run against the Yankees be-
fore day, and when day comes we can tell
whether Stuart has kept this road''
Il hate to wake up anybody" SAYS Joe:
but you can say that the cats got my
tongue if j don't holer at the first house
| see. They'll know whether Stuart went
by this way or not"
Maybe not-unless he went by before
bedtime"
Dan. you are the persistinest fellow
ever did see. Everything / say, you've
got sOmeh'm to say against it, y juj,''
Don't want me to speak my mind?"
"Of course do"
'Then why do you object"
I'm not Objectin'; I'm only sayin'
what's true. Keep it up; you're right about
it; We must look at all sides, and that's
where you're strong; keep it up, old man,
keep it up"
Half an hour later they came to n toll
gate; it was open; nobody could be seen:
the little dwelling of the gate keeper
seemed deserted. Joe knocked vigorously
on the window; there was no response.
They rode on.
Now a small farmhouse was at their
right. Joe hallooed repeatedly, and at
length voice responded from the rear Of