The Washington times., 1902-06-15

MN.
God help you, old man, II you lie;
but I'll take your word. Send the iwc
down the fork after me-" and Roger ana
l were off.
On went the nag. We reached the lane
clearly enough, and | took it, Most OF
the way lay through the timber and
ran out on the Tappan highway well
nigh before knew 1t. And there, as my
cursed luck would have it, stood three
horsemen not five hundred yards away
They caught sight of me as / looked
back at them, and we were all four off
before much was thought or done.
T was 4 bad business, for they had
breathed a space. while Roger had been
the Tappan road and on the Tappan side
! OF them. and had five hundred yards to
the good. Even then no horse of theirs
could do more than keep the distance, or
mayhap work off yard or two now and
then. Giving Roger the reins on his
neck, 1 got out my two pistols and made
ready for what might come. The horse
could take my guiding from the knee,
and stretching out his neck he sped on.
| Running up a grade and turning the
top of a hill, laughed out loud to see
In the valley beneath tents and flags and
all the signs of a camp, and knew that
Tappan lay but a couple of miles away.
Turning in the saddle waved my arms
at the men.
They came laundering on, and the one
in the lead discharged his pistol, though
il was far out of range. Looking ahead.
caught BIT of road beneath and saw
the last OF a troop of horse coming this
way. And that gave me an idea, which
the winding road suggested. Speeding
on down the hill turned a sharp corner
and jumped Roger up a bank into the
timber and underbrush, and then throw
| ing my arms round his nose, held him
close as the three ratified by. In a
moment l was out on the highway and
following after, still with the reins on
the good horses neck and a pistol in
either hand.
7 was too good to be true, A fool vii,
always spoil his own game. For
wheeled round another curve in the
steep and narrow descent and carne
and stopping the highway. Whether they
had seen or heard the approaching troop
never knew, but four men more aston
shed It would be hard to find. There
was not an instant to think or decide
on action. l ran amongst them literally,
having only sense enough to clap spur
deep in Rogers flesh. II was a new SEN
sation for him. for he never needed steel
to keep us moving, and the beast leaped
forward in amazement, as / fred on
either side. They were no fools-those
"countrymen'-for / had no more than
got through when quick report was
followed by a sting in my left hand end
the pistol dropped to the ground while
rung the arm and cursed the fiends
roundly. Down | got on the horses neck
and for an instant waited for my end
'Tis a long time, such an instant. but
1t had It's end. Another shot sounded
in the clear morning air, and heard a
howl in front and saw a horse go Iown
as the troop came trotting around the
curve. Up came Roger and wheeled
about at a pressure of the knee just in
time 10 see two of them turn about
while the third lay still in the road.
No explanation was needed, but l
cried out to them to take the men, and
some started in pursuit. while we picked
up the dead man whose coat was black
ened with fire of the powder from my
close shot. And out of his pocket came
paper. that gave me a greater respect
for Curtis ghost" than had yet had
gave me. too, a sense of insecurity that
l had not felt in that long ride
The paper. which read with the lieu
tenant who commanded the troop. was
this:
You are to cover the road TO Tappan from
Gowan's Ferry. Watch for a man in lieu
tenants uniform. Balfort by name; get him |
alive If possible. But get him. Take tho
woman who is with him and hurt not hair
of her head follow the other two with the
prisoncrs. Meet at Govan's Tavern to-
morrow night. Wait two DAYS there and then |
return. HAZELTINE.
Narrow escape, lieutenant" said the |
young officer.
Indeed it was" said |. absently, ard |
then. waking up, told him enough Of |
the story to persuade him to let nc
go on.
As rode slowly into camp, began to
understand the feeling Curtis had for
this extraordinary man, and to feel that
he knew by some strange, almost super
natural means what was going on in the
American army. Yet t was simple
enough. He had taken the generals
and reading the dispatch. had
sent out men TO take me. Yet the thing
ranked in my mind all the way to head
quarters. and after, while waited the
return Of General Washington
CHAPTER XII.
THE COMMANDER IN CHIEF.