The enterprise-recorder. (Madison, Fla.) 1908-1933, 1911-10-20

seumbi forward that fairly wreuched
my hand loose from the woman's rein
and then, hopelessly struggling 10 re.
gam his feet my horse went down
with crash, head under, and was
hurled heavily forward upon my face.
craig startled at the sudden crash he.
hlnd him, spurred back TO learn the
lull extent of my disaster, BY this
time | had regained my feet.
I'm all right, think. sergeant" |
Eaid hastily, but the sorrel has brok-
en- her neck"
He began 10 swear at our III mcK,
but | stopped him with q gesture he
knew better than TO ignore.
Enough Of that" commanded
eternly Pad fortune Is seldom bet.
tered by hard words. First OF al,
help me to drag this dead body cgt OF
light"
On one side Of us the sank fell away
With such precipitancy that when we
crce succeeded In dragging svr load
to the edge, We experienced NO din.
Guilty in sead!ag II crashing down.
ward. The body plsEgod t&y0sgh- The
thick unaerlrgsh at the te.tsm Of tho
osgle, wLec, | i,hcw t woald Sc com.
pletely hidden, sven y she .giage q
daylight, from tie sl.$iGg eyes Of any
troopers riding hard ppoa snr track.
As We rapidly worked On a&is aisa-
ggeeable task, thsaght and sslsned;
30 horses and taree I'D erg-5ne Of
these u woman In need Of protection
"a dispatch to se delivered by day
light, at all hazards. Ii was adeel
q difficult proposition, axG / saw oily
a single possible scIaSss Csc, 81. cur
number must press ca tI9 VI ~
must remain bsaisd. Wk4h one?
what two? II / rode WIS she dds
gajch (and hsw elderly |. lSa5es to
10 SOD and sUe3e21& ia srs;giag
Lees message saio to Eosgg,rec-, it
meant much TO me-pro-btitn,. dis
tinction, honor. On the other hand,
If | remained behind, and Craig sue
cos5fllly carried out the duty which
had been especially int;uated to me,
| should he fortunate indeed to ESCAPE
With 4 reprimand instead of more Sc.
rious consequences. If failure result
Cd, it meant certain and deserved dis
grace. Yet | could absolutely trust
him with the dispatch he was a sol.
der, and would faithfully perform a
soldiers duty. More, he would carry
the message with even greater GER
tainty than !, for he knew the roads
much better and write the words
hcsitatingly--I could not trust him
there alcre with tie woman.
! glanced aside at him as thus
turned the perpleying situation over
In my mind--a tall, gauat mountain
Ger, whose sole discipline Of mind and
| body had been the army; hardened by
service until every muscle In his lean,
sinewy frame was like Steel cavalry
man who would follow his leader into
he very jaws Of hell, but Whose NOR
ais were those Of the camp, and
whose face revealed audacicu5 devil
try such as no man would care TO see
In one to whom he intrusted the wei
fare Of sister or wife.
Sergeant" | asked; flinging aside
the improvlsed brush, chow far do YOU
suppose we are from Longstreets
picket line?"
"Ten miles at the very best, sir
he answered promptly. IAN reckon
with another Yankee outpost atween.
with fair luck and good riding |
might be made by daylight"
81 reckon as how it might, captain
II we only he'd sum fresh hosses," h
said glumly but It's bin mighty har,
on my nag; I've looked fer him to rol
over like yer sorrel did fer the las
two mile"
well, Craig, you shall have bot
horses. Ride the woman's. 1t Is tn
fresher Of the two; but you are I
get through If you kill them both an
then walk"
His face frightened, and he raise
his hand in salute.
| And your" he asked, wonderingiS
II remain with the woman; ther
I is no other way. Wait here a momen
{ while | speak with her"
/ left him standing there, and move
, hack to where she waited. AS cam
I I'D she faced me, and for the first tim
/. flor the night had lightened SOM
r WHAT could see her eyes and al
r Germ some faint outline of her FAC
where the night wind flung back 10
upturned cape. 1t was a winsoH
Q sight to soldier vision, but with ce
= ~, ,,hIonce of nride and resery