The evening world., 1911-10-03

on active duty"
Well" drawled Max, what OF all
that! Has 1t Just dawned on your"
-Don't joke about It," growled Ray
can't you see what I'm driving at?"
No said Dale, II. for one. can't"
you're the one II concerns" re-
torted Cans. Don't you understand
MAX Clark and l are Union soldiers.
You are a Confederate. We ave cap
tured you practically inside our own
Zines. And
Good Heaven. Ray!' laughed Dale.
you don't mean to say you fellows are
thinking OF making me a prisoner?
Why. w~e're-we're chumS!"
And we're soldiers. too," answered
Ray. and bound by oath to do our full
military duty. What's botherins me Is
you prisoner. What do think, Maxi"
Il don't know" hesitated Max. II
hadn't thought OF 1t that way. On my
soul. I don't know. r.
Look here!" .roke In Dale, in a
different voice. STOPPING and picking up
his sabre as he spoke. You fellows
are discussing my capture as II YOU
already had me In the Proves Mar
shal's hands. Well. you haven't. The
situation Is a b. different from what
you two dutiful Yanks seem to hin
You are two TO my one. But you're botn
unarmed. I've this sabre and here al
my belt 10 a pistol I know how to use.
That shifts the odds You didn't
happen to think OF all that. did your"
NO" replied Max. slowly. But I am
glad"
'Glad:"
Eyes. II makes things more even.
And now we can talk 1t over sauarelv.
without any feeling OF either side nav
Ing the advantage"
I'm sorry ! spoke as I did, said
Dale tn1pulsively. lowering his sabre
point and letting his other hand fall
from the butt Of his revolver. ''Only II
viles me 20 hear you fellows speak as
II you had me where you wanted me.
We'll. as Ray says. What's the next
mover"
I'm a soldier Of the United States"
returned Max. but. first of all. I'm
a human being. ! know what war
prisons are, and ia hate to send my
worst enemy to one, let alone my best
friend. I don't believe President Lincoln
himself would blame me for feeling that
way. Duty Is all very well. but friend
ship seems to me a bigger, better thing.
Besides. l don't believe the Union cause
Is going to wreck just because one
sixteen-year-old boy Is allowed to 20
back to his regiment. What do you
think. Ray?'
You're right" muttered Ray; you're
always right. It's a way you've got.
somehow. We must let him go. And
I'd feel like a yellow dog to do anything
else. Just the same. ] feel queer inside
as u I was almost false to my duty"
IF you feel that way"-began Dale.
He got no further. Standing further
out In the road than did his two friends
he saw something that mad him rusn
at them n thrust them by main force
back into the bushes.
Not at all understanding. yet i'm
pressed by the sudden tenseness OF his
manner and action. they suffered them
selves to be propelled into the tangle OF
roadside underground. Nor did they
ask questions.
An instant later the cause for Bob
Dale's odd behavior was clear to them.
Around the bend OF the road from south
ward they saw nine or ten gray clad
troopers glllop. a led horse among their
mounts.
Thu tables were turned with a VEN
geance. A minute before the two North
ern boys had had Bob In their power.
Now he was gripping the shoulder OF
a OF Them, and behind him were
coming up a half score armed and
mounted men. Max and Ray were his
prisoners hould he choose to make them
30. They we're utterly In his power.
THE troopers were MOI. q hundred feet
away. Before either OF the boys could
rave wrenched away and gained the
safety OF the thick woods, where cav
! airy coull not follow. a shout from Bob
would have been sufficient to bring
down the whole contingent OF horsemen
about them.
Both Clark n Cans realized this.
Yet 1t was Characteristic OF their train
ing and nerye that neither sought to
struggle uselessly or to plead for mercy.
The next instant Bob had let 60 OF
them and strobe out into the moonlight
again. And now they saw he had not
intended at all to capture them, but
merely TO hide them from the keen eyes
of his advancing companions. This
thought. and the memory Of his own
doubts as TO Bob's friendship, gave
Ray Cans a llttie thrill of shame.
The horsemen at sight OF Bob Dale
dashed forward.
"Are you all right, Sergeant?" asked
one, Your horse here caught Up with
US, and the Captain sent ten OF US back
TO see II we could find you. Are you
wounded"
NO." replied Bob. swinging into the
saddle, Just a knock on the head. I'm
all right again"
Then we'd better gallop." said one