The National tribune., 1903-11-19

| gan py tne arm JackSon WIS
svAg ev stsrted tefei aIso the e1S Sergeant %
had discreetly given room to the horses.
| Give him a lift, Sergeant" begged the
horseman, in the act of bending over;
here's your receipt"
| The prisoner suddenly fell to the
round, and as suddenly rose again with
The horse between himself and the Ser
seant, having dashed under the animals
belly. In an instant he was gone.
1.-The devil and his imps" cried the
horseman. '.Why'n't you hold him? You
are responsible for this
| Not ut ALL replied the Sergeant
DOLLY and quietly; II delivered him to
you; you are the responsible party-not
Pursue him. cried the horseman, al
most in frenzy. more perhaps because of
the laugh raised by his two companions
than because of the loss itself.
Pursue him yourself if you want any
body to pursue. I'm done with it, except
to report it," and the Sergeant walked to-
ward Capt. Freeman's place
Morgan had not run far: he knew too
little of directions, for the sky was hidden
| by the trees above him, and he must not
| risk running wrong; he sank to the ground
and listened.
Behind him there was noise, but no
great noise; he thought it came from
Freeman's company: the sounds indicated
preparation to march, yet there had been
no bugle. Soon there was another nOise-a
low kissing sound near him-which at
| first he knew not how to cOnstrue, but it
grew in clearness and intensity until he
recognized the warning "Sh-h-h!" pro-
lOnged and repeated. But toward whom
was the signal directed? Doubtless foot
men were searching for the fugitive, and
mand to hearken yet would
the sound be repeated? Why noisily bid a
companion be silent when he is already
silent? for Morgan heard no noise near
him except this one persistent growing
| .'Sl-h-h.'
The fugitive wondered why the guards
| he was as yet not more than $50
yards from the post-were making
no noise of pursuit or search. He
could not know that Freeman had re-
ceived orders to march. Could it be that
he was surrounded. and that they felt SO
confident of his falling into Federal hands
| that they were refusing to make needless
effort? No; such could not be the Case
for if he were environed by foes. his
guards would shout and warn the troops
around lest he slip through them in the
darkness. Yel, could he believe that no
effort to retake him was being made? that
his escape had been taken for granted
by his enemies? Surely not, unless-un-
less there was for him some peculiar ad-
vantage of the ground, something to make
the Federals despair Of success-and with
this thought Morgan raised his head as
nOiselessly as possible and tried to look
| about him, hoping rather than believing
that he should see near him ravine or
other help that would give conclusion to
his doubts. He saw man squatted less
than five PAGES distant.
Morgan did not lower his head. He
| reasoned that the man knew of his pres
ence, or did not: in either case additional
n n xy-ithnuS prn6t I'm,
the first Intellectual, in the second needless.
for he knew that he was well-cOncealed
already: he looked at the man squatted
near bushy tree. Again came the signal
for silence-and then he heard a rattling
sound in the leaves at his right knee, and
knew that missile had been thrown.
1t was now impossible for Morgan to
believe that his presence was unknown,
and almost equally difficult for him to be-
lieve that the man before him was hos,
tile; yet the absurdity Of admitting the
hope of aid at this place and time was so
manifest that for the moment confidence
in his own sight and hearing was shaken.
Had he seen Alright? Had he heard Alright?
Was that object before him really--a man?,
Was it not, rather, some bush or stump
distorted by his fears? Had he heard a
pebble or stick thrown towards him? Had
he not. rather, heard the noise of some
decayed acorn. some rotten twig, as it fell
TO the ground? Had he heard a voice ut
tering n caution. or had he heard the.
swish Of a bOugh, the rubbing of branches
against each other? Yet it was but for
moment that he thus doubted-the next
moment he knew that the man near him
Was the negro Barney. the recognition be-
ing due to a whispered declaration coming
from Barney himself.
"Jes be quiet, sab: dis is me-"
Instantly renewed fears and doubts
swept through Morgan's mind. This ne
gro was, to certain knowledge, deceiver;
he had been with Squire and with the
Confederates. but had gone to the Yam
KEGS and had denied his former relation.
The Sergeant, ignorant of the fact that
Barney had overheard Freeman's pues-
tiOns and the replies thereunto. had not
the smallest thought Of any claim upon
the negro's gratitude: and so confirmed
was his belief in the falseness of the man.
confirmed by his knowledge that Freeman
himself was full of suspicion. that he re-
fused to respond, and thought rather of
| sudden fight than of awaiting the issue.
But Barney was by instinct no mean
lOgician; he knew and felt that Morgan
could not be expected to trust him, and
appreciated the necessity for acting
quickly.
"DOn't be afeahed, sah." he whispered
I'm y0' frien'; l heahed what shu said
to de Capin, sah."
"Are you going to help me?" whispered
''Yes. sab, if I-ran: but amt got much
time. De company is awdehed to maheh,
an | got to git back mighty quick. You
mus go dis Away, sah," thrusting his
arm out almost in contact with the white
mans face.
"HOw far do these wOods stretch?''
mot mon a quata', sab; an when you
git to de aige Of 'em you can see de big
road"
"What big road?"
II dunno, sab, whah it goes to-"
Troops over there?"
"Yes, sab, avn de yOtheh side; but shu
avn dis side, an keep avn down de aige
O. de feP."
"Im greatly obliged to you, Barney"
81 done all I can do fuh you, sab; you
helped me out, an l amt a-gwine to go
back avn sich as dat"
"Why didn't you stick to Squirer'
"Unc Squiah, he jest went his way,
sab, sn' / jest went my way. I dunno
what I'd ha' done il I hadn't met up wi
Cap'm Freeman ag'in. I've ben with him
befo'e, sab. Now, sab, I've got to git
back: Gaze dsy'll be a-gwine f'om heah.
Morgan did not wait; he started in the
direction given him. fearing longer delay
not that he doubted the negrO's faith in
regard to himself, but because time was
valuable. He succeeded in reaching the
edge of the woods. and then crept south
on the east side of the big road. But Bar
ney's knowledge OF the country and the
troops that occupied it referred to q very
small area, and Morgan soon found his
way blocked by a great cavalry bivouac
extending far across his path. He en-
deavored to fink it by going to his left.
ova1 .snht hov IAI ss ~.