Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1911-11-15
CHAPTER v.
A Disaster on the Road.


To me she was merely a woman
whom it had become my duty to pro-
tect, and whatever of chivalrous feel
ing l may have held toward her was
based upon nothing deeper than this
knowledge. She had comesto us unde-
sired and in darkness, her form en-
veloped in a cavalry cloak, her face
shrouded by the night. AS to wheth-
er she was young or old | had scarce
means of knowing, saving only that
the tone of her voice and the graceful
manner of her riding made me conf
dent that she had not lost the agility
of youth. But beyond this vague i'm
preston Git was little more), and a
fleeting CLEAN of the starlight in her
eyes as she faced me in anger, was
as totally unaware of how she really
looked as though we had never met
Her very name was unknown to me.
Who was this Major Brennan? Was
he father, brother or husband? and
was her name Brennan also? For
repugnant to me. Yet l knew not
why.
"You ride as though born to the sad
de-" l said pleasantly; and although
l spoke low, we were so close to-
gether that my voice carried distinctly
to her ears. I'VE have been suffi-
GENTLY conceited to suppose that to
be an accomplishment peculiar to our
Southern women"
Il have been accustomed to ride
since childhood" she replied rather
shortly, and | was conscious of re-
straint in her manner far from pleas
ing. Yet / ventured upon one more
effort at conversation.
rs Major Brennan an officer on
Sheridan's Staff"
81 was not aware'-and l could not
mistake the accent of vindictiveness
in her voice-"that prisoners were
obliged to converse against their
will"
Il ask your pardon, / am sure"
returned soberly But my question
was not altogether an idle one
have CHANGED to meet several of
General Sheridans staff, and thought
possibly Major Brennan might have
been of their number. Seeing that
we must associate for a time, nat
urally felt 1t would prove pleasanter
for both of US if we might discover
some mutual tie
There was no response.
The road we were following here
took a sudden trend downward, and
we could tell from the sharper ring
of the hoofs. and the splitting of flinty
sparks beneath US, that we were
among rocks once more. Then our
horses suddenly splashed into water,
and l held them up long enough to
drink. l felt thirst strongly myself,
and slipping out of the saddle filed
my canteen.
Would you care for a drink"
asked, stemming the stream to reach
her side, and holding the vessel with
In easy grasp of her hand.
l actually believe her first impulse
was to refuse haughtily this proffered
civility from an enemy Of her coun-
try, but the deep sense of need con
quered her to accept the offering. An.
other hill followed, and then another.
and finally we swept swiftly down a
long slope densely bordered by trees
and with irregular piles of rock up.
rearing ugly heads on either hand.
caught a swift glimpse of a rough
log house on the right, SO set back
among trees that | half doubted its
real existence, when-there was
slip, the crunching of stone, long
stumble forward that fairly wre1ched
my hand loose from the womans rein,
and then, hopelessly struggling to re-
gain his feet, my horse went down
with a crash, head under. and | was
hurled heavily forward upon my face.
Craig, startled at the sudden crash be-
hind him, spurred back to learn the
full extent of my disaster. By this
time had regained my feet
I'm all right, l think, sergeant"
said hastily, but the sorrel has brok'
en- her neck"
He began to swear at our i'll luck,
but | stopped him with a gesture he
knew better than to ignore.
Enough of that" | commanded,
sternly. bad fortune is seldom bet.
tered by hard words First of all,
help me to drag this dead body out OF
sight"
CTo BE CONTINUED)