The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1911-09-19
"NhereY asked Laura, with

blanched cheek.
He walked away in the presence Of
CAPTAIN Fitz Hugh, who would not de-
tain him or inform me that be had
gone till be was obliged to do so.'
Laura casped her hands and mutely
breathed a blessing on the man who
had spared her husband for her sake.
How long has be been gone" she
asked.
More than half an hour"
Have you ordered his pursuit"
81 have"
And ne has start Of
'Thirty minutes.
You'll never take him. He bears q
charmed life"
And now, madam. what can | do
for you? My friend charged me to see
that you have every attention"
Il will so on and join my mother"
"Tonight?
"Tonight-now."
Your phaeton shall be at the door in
a few minutes. You must accept my
escort. There will be a guard be-
Sides"
In ten minutes Laura, Major Tal1a.
ferro seated beside her. six stalwart
cavalry men in gray about her, was on
her way to join her mother.
Mark knew the direction Of the roads
leading from Anderson. and believed
that he could avoid the pickets. Max
ing his way over a space covered with
bushes and a low growth Of timber, he
struck the road by which be had come
that day at point beyond the vedette-
Then half a miles run brought him.
out of breath, to house. The occu-
pants were not asleep, and Mark sue
ceeded by persuasion and threats In
getting a horse to take him to Slack's.
promising to send it back the next day
with liberal pay for its use.
he arrived at Slack's shortly before
midnight, and his horse fell exhausted
in the yard. Slack received him with
a shotgun pointed through the cracks
of the door. Mark made himself
known and asked for his uniform and
his arms. The old man got them for
him, and taking them to the stable
Mark put them on Then be went to
the stall where his horse stood. The
mare knew her master when be threw
his arms about her neck and seemed
as glad to see him as be was to see
her.
"Ah, Madge, my darling! Once on
your back. old girl. and the devil may
catch me If be can"
BE lost no time in putting the bit In
her mouth and strapping on the sad
die Then. putting his foot in the
leather covered stirrup, he lifted him.
self into his seat
For the first time In ten days Mark
felt the comfort of being in the saddle
with his arms about him
A few steps took him out OF the
barn; then. turning his horses head in
the direction from which be had ap-
preached the place With Souri,. be rode
away among the trees Before going
a hundred yards be stopped and lis
tened. Some sound had caught his
ear. 1t was the gaIlop Of horsemen.
he waited. dreading neigh from bis
own horse, which be patted to bold
her attention. The horsemen passed
on down the road.
Ride on. brave boys" said Marx;
IF you're after me, the faster you go
in that direction the better Ill like it."
In t : light OF the waning moon he
trampled over the shadows Of leaves
as on a ''crazy quilt" He crossed the
SeQuatchie by the ford over which
Souri, had guided him, and took care
not to head too far down the stream.
as be had done before. Then be cross
ed the creek near the fallen log. He
struck the road by which he had left
Jasper just south Of the fork at which
Souri, had halted him. Without hesi-
tating moment be struck out at a
brisk canter over the left Of the TWO
roads-the one leading to Tracy City.
Mark had never experienced such
sensations as now. On his own feet
horse. his carbine slung on his shout
der, his pistol at his side, on the road
to the Union camps. wife whom be
adoreda to join him in case be should
arrive safely-why should not the spirit
within him fairly glow with hope?
AnG never s-S tho beautiful Madge
borne her rider with such evident eA.
hi1nrasSe1 hti1