Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1909-02-12

ArmltaRe passed MS rein TO Gal
borne and plunged down the steep road
to reconnoiter.
ITS a strange business Claiborne
muttered. half aloud.
The cool air of the ridge sobered him,
but he reviewed the events of the night
the service would envy him this adven-
ture. He was so intent with the
thought that he hummed reveille and
was about to rebuke himself for unsol-
dierly behavior on duty when ArmL
tage whistled for him to advance.
"Its all right; they haven't passed
yet. / met a railroad track walker
down there, and he said he had seen
no n between here and Lamar. Now
they're handicapped by the big country
horse they had to take for that Servian
devil, and we can push them as hard
as we like. We must get them beyond
Lamar before we crowd them. and
don't forget that we want to drive
them into my land for the round up.
I'm afraid we're going to have a wet
morning"
They rode abreast beside the railroad
through the narrow gap. A long freight
train rumbled and ratified by, and a lit
tie later they passed a coal shaft,
where a begrimed night shift loaded
cars under ftaring torches.
Their message to Winkelried is still
on this side of the Atlantic" said Ar
mitage. but Winkelried is in a strong
room by this time If the existing pow
ers at Vienna are what they ought to
be. I've done my best to get him there.
The message would only help the case
against him if they sent it."
Claiborne groaned mockingly.
81 suppose I'll know what it's all
about when | read it in the morning
papers. ! like the game well enough,
but it 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 me over the Nir-
ginia mountains to report my capture
to Baron o Marriott. On the way you
are going to assist in another affair
that will be equally to your credit, and
then if all goes well with us I'm going
to give myself the pleasure of allow
ing NJ. Chauvenet to tell you exactly
who | am. The incident appeals to
my sense of humor. l assure you |
have one. OF course if | were not a
! person of very great distinction Chau-
venet and his friend Durand would
not have crossed the ocean and
brought with them a professional as
ASSN. skilled in the use of smothering
hnd knitting, to do away with me. You
are III luck to be alive. We are dan
gerously near the same size and build
and in the dark, on horseback'-
THAT was funny. | knew that if |
ran for it they'd plug me for sure and
that if ! waited until they saw their
mistake they would he afraid to kin
me. Ugh. | still taste the red soil of
the Old Dominion"
Come, captain, let US give the horses
a chance to prove their blood. These
roads will be paste IN a few hours"
The dawn was breaking s~ullenly.
and out of IA gray, low hanging mist II
light rain fell in the soft. monotonous
fashion of mountain rain. Much of the
time it 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 a 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
What's the word?"
"Drive them back, Ready-here We
go!' 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
vancing trio after a forty yard gallop.
mot 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 yell,
to be Chauvenet's-turned and bolted
and the others followed back the way
they had come.
Soon they dropped their pace 10 {
trot, but the trio continued to fly be
fore them.
They're ratified" said Claiborne
land the fog isn't helping them any"
We're getting close to my place.
said Armitage, and as he spoke tive
shots fred in rapid succession cracked
family through the fog, and they jerk
ed up their horses.
"Its Oscar! He's a good way aheaC
If l judge the shots right"
IF he turns them back, we ought t,
hear their horses in a moment" OBJ