The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1911-10-19

ne hgure OF a man on horseback be
yond the range Of flame and appaF-
emily upon the very bank of the
stream, when some words spoken by
an old gray-beared sergeant interested
me.
Bob" he said to the soldier loung-
ing next him, ''whut wus it tibet stan
officer sed ter Their leftenant? dtdn
Just git Their straight OF it"
The man, debonair youE fellow,
stroked his little black mustaches re-
hectively.
..Ther cove sed as how Coles d.
vision wud be along here afore day
light, an thet our fellers wud likely
be sent out ahead of en-"
''Whar be they goin'?"
THE leftenant asked him. an the
cove sed as 1t wus gtneral advance
to meet OIL Hancock at Minersville.' .
..Thet's good 'uough, lads" chimed
in the sergeant, Shaping his knee. 1t
means a dance dow. the valley after
Early. I'm a guessin' Wen have q
baaC.up oil fight fore three days
more"
.'PerytdIn' alters thet Their Johnnies
don't skedaddle fust," commented an
other, tartly. "Whut in thunder is
tAer matter with them hosses?" he
asked suddenly, rising and peering
over into the bushes beyond the hut
where a noise of sQuealing and kick
ing had arisen.
"Oh, the bay. lilly is probably over
the rope agIn," returned the ser
geant, laziIy. 'Sit down, Sims, an be
easy; you're not on boss guard ter
night"
81 know thet," growled the soldier,
doubtfulIy, but thet thar kid is no
good, an don't want my boss all
banged up just as we're goin' on
campaign. 'Tain't no sorter way ter
hitch 'em anyhow, to a picket rope;
ruins more bosses than Their Rebs
dew
This gave me inspiration, and be-
fore the speakers sullen growl had
wholly ceased 1 was again upon hands
and knees, silently cropping my way
along the bank toward the rear OF the
hut. It proved to be tiny structure
containing but a single room-prob-
ably a mere hsherman's shack. with
out windows, but possessing a door
at either end. Meeting no opposition
crept within, where felt some
what safer from observation, and then
peered warily forth into the darkness
extending between it and the river.
The pICket-rope stretched from one
corner of the hut, where 1t seemed to
be secured around the end OF a pro
iecting log, out into the night, evil
IDENTIFY finding It's other terminus at a
big tree whose spreading top l could
dimly perceive Swallowed against the
sky Along it we're tethered the
horses, a few impatiently champing
their bits and pounding with thcir
Aoofs on the trampled ground, but the
majority resting quietly, their heads
hanging sleepily down. The one near
est me appeared a finely proportioned
animal OF a dark color. and was
equipped with both saddle and bride.
Of the soldier in charge l could dis
anguish nothing-doubtless he was
lounging on his back, half asleep upon
some soft patch Of grass.
turned when It suddenly occurred
to me that the deserted hut might
contain something could use to ad-
frearm, perhaps, or even
a stray box OF matches. felt about
me cautiously, creeping along the
hard earthen floor until l had nearly
the opposite entrance. The
light from the fire without leaped up,
and its glow revealed saddle, with
leather holster attached. hanging to
a nail just within the doorway. NOV
ing noiselessly managed to extract
revolver, but could discover no cart
ridges.
was yet fumbling in the holster
pocket when the lieutenant rose from
his seat without, knocked the ashes
from his pipe, yawned sleepily, stand
ing directly between me and the fire,
and then, turning sharply, walked
slowly into the open door of the hut.
1 sprang to my feet, OF he would GER