Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1911-09-09
cH.!AIP'r'E:Rl Il.
The Niaht Ride.


chSster. and while our horses rested
and refreshed themselves on some
connscated grain, tho two OF 10 lay
laSily back on . grassy knoll, we'll
within the shadow Of ruined wall.
and watched the round. red sun drop
slowly down behind those western
hills We had to climb.
AZ early as We deemed It safe to
venture. We were again In saddle.
riding now straight to the westward.
along the smooth.beaten pike, until
We caught sight Of the black shadow
OF Cotton church. "a our front; then
we swerved to tho left, and still NOV
Ing rapidly but with considerable care
for the horseA headed directly across
the more broken country toward tho
foothills. II proved TO be hard, toll
some climb up those long, steep
slopes rising before US: for We were
extremely careful now to keep we'll
away from every known route of
travel. ana our horses. although SCI
lected from among the best mounts OF
the cavalry brigade. had already been
thoroughly winded BY their smart trot
up the valley.
An hour Of this work passed.
Whether or not we were yet within
the enemy's lines was largely conjec-
ture. for no human eye could pierce
the enveloping gloom, and no sound,
either Of warning or encouragement,
reached 10; a., We strained our ears.
The sergeant rode slightly In advance
az We toiled up tho higher terrace.
for our sole dependence % to direc-
ton and distance was upon his mem
DRY. and even that could scarcely
serve for much on such . night as
this. traced his passage upward as
best might, and pressed close after
him. guided not SO much BY sight as
BY sound-the occasional rolling Of q
loosened stone. the rustling Of leaves
- he touched q bush in passage. the
faint clinking Of his sabre. and the
heavy breathing OF his horse at
last his long. slender figure rose sui.
liciently above the dark hill surface
70 DO family silhouetted IN deeper
snadow against tno am fenectlon OF
the upper SKY. Almost coincidentiy
with this my horse ranged up pes'de
his. where No nad s drawn rein IN eva-
cent perplexaty.
what Is u, DAM ! questioned eau
tious'y: 40I III : couio tsel Is.sonaDiy
assured OF Just tnen was tnat Denlnu
any rock OF tree N our front tnere
might % croucnan1 : fedefat p'cAe {
It's nothia. Cal. no answered
quietly, turning Ms lace toward me y
No spoke. just t1yin .er mem
per some lanamarK yereaDo'us ter
J. GUIDE from. Blamed. y ever see sucn
9 dark night; IT'S IKE bein' INSIDE =
pocket. sll, an reckon 40 now y
must be nisn onter ten year since !
run loose N TINS yere country q =
k1o: Inet thar cut'on We took . VINE
BACK mas sort o confused mo; mats
. rae. ana = cont JUST Know WAR :
am; put ! reckon 40 now the man
f1ase ROAD were : hun nl alter ought
q run somewnar out yonder ne
pointed Forward INTO the night.
see what you can discover out there
on foot. Sitting here isn't apt to
mend matters, and We surely cannot
AFFORD to cripple our horses among
those rocks"
The sergeant, Is gaunt, tireless
mountaineer. slipped silently from his
saddle, swung his light cavalry car
bine from his back TO the ho.:ow Of
his arm, and in. another moment was
lost to sight in the darkness. A snake
could not have slipped away more
stealthily. heard . stone rattle I'M
der his foot, . half-supprsssed oath,
and then the sight had completely
swallowed him.
How utterly alone I seemed; how
intensely, painfully still everything
was! The silence felt almost like =
weight. 80 greatly It oppressed me.
Even the accustounsa voices OF nature
were hushed. a Il war. with its un-
speakable cruelty. had cast ! spell
over al things animate and inanimate.
It was weird. uncanny. With every
nerve strained. I leaned forward
ACROSS the pomme! nttmv saddle. rs
tening for the slightest, sound out IN
that black void. Ny head burned and
throbbed % with fever. and felt that
strange. unnatural stiffness . though
It had been . physical thing; surely
others beaidss ~ were upon tAss hill-
top! For knew well-my every sol-
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