The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1905-09-21
IN WHICH WE MAKE A FORCED
MARCH.

1t could have been but little short OF
midnight when we came Town into the
Great Trace near the ambush ground
where we had set our trap for the
peace men.
The night had cleared most beau
tifully, and overhead the stars We're
burning like points of white fire in the
black dome of the heavens. AS often
happens after a shower, the night
shrillings of the forest were in fullest
tide; n a whip-wilTs-widow, dis
turbed by u approach, fiuttered to a
higher perch and set up his plaintive
protest.
At our turning eastward on the trace,
the old hunter maSseG our little COM
pany as compactly as the path allowed,
and giving US the word to follow eau
tiously. tossed his bride rein to the
Catawba and went on to feel out the
way.
This arrangement set me to ride
abreast with Margery; and for the first
time since that fateful night in the
upper room at Appleby Hundred we
were together and measurably alone.
Since death might be lying
in walt for US at any
turn in the winding bridle-path, l had
no mind to break the strained silence.
But. womanlike, she would not miss
the chance to thrust at me.
Are Q not aire with shame, Cap
tain Ireton?" she said, bitterly; and
then: How you must despise mel"
] knew not what she meant; but be-
Ing most anxious for her safety, I
begged her not to talk, putting it all
Upon the risk we ran in passing the
outlet of the sunken valley. Now, as
you have long since learned, my tongue
was but a skilless servant; and
though I sought to make the command
~ ,~o~Slao% ~A1 49,
bragg and struck back smartly.
You need not make the danger an
Gus I will be still; and when I
speak to you again, you will be willing
enough to near me, I promise you!"
Nay, then, dear lady;yyou must not
take it SOL" I protested. "'Tis my mis-
fortune to be ever laundering"
But to this she gave me no answer at
all; and barring a word OF two OF
never opened her lips again Throughout
the passage perslous.
BY good hap we came tt the crossing
Of the cavern stream without meeting
any foeman; and on the farther side
of the shallow ford we found the ole
borderer awaiting us.
"Ez / allew, We've smelt the bait ir
the trap and come off with whole bones
like Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-
nego," he said, mixing metaphor, scrip.
ture phrase and frontier idiom as wa.
his wont. Then he put a leg over hi:
horse M gave the stirrup-word;
From now On. old Jehu, the son o
Nimshi, is the hoss-whipper we've go
to beat. Get We behind. Cap'n John
and give the boss that lags a half incl
r so of your sworI-p'int."
Then and there began a night f1igh
long to be remembered. Down TIL
valley of the swift river to the fort
where Yeates and I had crossed afte,
the mock rescue of Margery the nigh
before, we let the horses pick the way a,
they could. But once beyond the ford
where the trace was wider and tn,
footing less precarious, we piled WIFI
and spur. pushing the saddle beasts TO
every stride we could get out of then
In the blind race.
have marveled often that we cam
not once to grief in all this long night
gallop through the darkness. Their
was every nance for 1t. The over
arching trees Of the great forest shu