Waterbury evening Democrat., 1908-11-07

about when l read 1t In the morning papers. l like the game we'll enough, but 1t might be more amusing to know what I'm fighting for"
 You enlisted without reading the ar ticles of war. and you've got to take the consequences. You've done what you set out to do, you've found me, and you're travelling with mo over the Vir- ginia mountains to report my capture to Baron von Marhof. On the way you are going to assist in another affair that will be equally to your credit. and then if all goes we'll with us I'm going to give myself the pleasure of allow Ing NJ. Chauvenet to tell you exactly who l am. The incident appeals to my sense of humor. I assure you I have one. Of course if were not person of very grea2 distinction Chau- venet and his friend Durand would not have crossed tho ocean and brought with them professional as- -assin, skilled in the use of smothering aId knifng, to do away with me. You are in luck to be alive. We are dan gerously near the same size and build and in the dark. on horseback"-
 That was funny. I knew that if ran for 1t they'd plug me for sure and that if waited until they saw their mistake they would be afraid to kill me. Ugh! I still taste the red soil of the Old Dominion"
 Come, captain, let us give the horses . chance to prove their blood. These roads will be paste in a few hours"
 The dawn was breaking sullenly, and out of a gray. low hanging mist light rain fell in the soft. monotonous fashion of mountain rain. Much of the time 1t was necessary to maintain sin gle file. and Armitage rode ahead. The fog grew thicker as they advanced. but they did not lessen their pace. which had now dropped to steady trot.
 Suddenly. as they swept on beyond Lamar. they hear the beat of hoofs and halted.
 Bully for us, We've cut in ahead of them! Can you count them, Clai- borne"
 There are three horses all right enough. and they're forcing the beasts. Whats the wordy
 Drive them back! Ready-here we gow roared Armitage In a voice in- tended to be heard
 They yelled at the top of their voices as they charged, plunging into the ad- yancing trio after forty yard gallop.
 "'Not later than Friday'-back you go" shouted Armitage and laughed aloud at the enemy's rout. One of the horses-it seemed from Its riders yells to be Chauvenet's-turned and bolted, and the others followed back the way they had come.
 Soon they dropped their pace to a trot, but the trio continued to fly be- fore them.
 "They're rattled," said Claiborne, land the fog isn't helping them any"
 Were getting close to my place." said Armltage, and as he spoke two shots fired in rapid succession cracked faintly through the fog, and they jerk ed up their horses. .
 Its Oscar! He's a good way ahead if judge the shots right"
 "If he turns them back, we ought to hear their horses in moment" ob- served Claiborne. '"The fog muff1es sounds The roads pretty level in here.'
 "We must let them out of it and into my territory for safety. We're within mile of the gate, and we ought to be able to crowd them into that long open strip where the fences are down. Hang the fogr'
 The agreed signal of two shots reached them again. but clearer, like drum taps, and was immediately an- swered by scattering shots. A moment later, as the two riders moved forward at a walk, sharp volley rang out quite clearly, and they heard shots and the crack of revolvers again.
 By George, they're coming! Here we go"
 They put their horses to the gallop and rode swiftly through the fog. The beat of hoofs was now perfectly audi ble ahead of them, and they heard quite distinctly a single revolver snap | twice
 Oscar has them on the run. Bully | for Oscar. They're getting close. Thank the Lord for this level stretch! Now howl and let Ter go!"
 They went forward, with yell that broke weirdly and chokingly on the gray cloak of fog. their horses hoofs pounding duly on the earthen road The rain had almost ceased, but enough had fallen ts soften the ground.
 They're terribly brave or horribly scared, from their speedr' shouted Claiborne. Now for 1t"
 They rose in their stirrups and charged. yelling lustily, riding neck and neck toward the unseen foe, aAd, with their horses at their highest pace, they broke upon the mounted trio that now rode upon them grayly out of the mist.
 There was mad snortiDg and Shrinking of horses. One of the anl- mals turned and tried to bolt, and his rider. struggling to control him, added to the confusion. The fog shut them in with each other and Armitage and Claiborne, having flung back their own horses at the onset. had an instant's