The Lamar register. [volume] (Lamar, Colo.) 1889-1952, 1911-09-20

must be nigh onter ten year Eince
run loose in this yere country as
kid Thet thar cutoff we took a while
back has sort o. confused me; that's
q fac, and I don't Just know whar
am; but ! reckon as how the main
ridge road we're huntin' after ought
er run somewhzr out yonder." He
pointed forward Into the night.
Very well; hand ire your rein. and
see what you can discover out there
on foot Sitting here isn't apt to
mend matters. and We surely cannot
afford to cripple our horses among
those rocks"
The sergeant, gaunt. tireless
mountaineer. slipped silently from his
saddle. swung his light cavalry car
bine from his back 10 the borrow OF
his arm. and In another moment was
lost to sight In the darkness. snake
could not have slipped away more
stealthily. I heard a stone rattle IN
der his foot. a half-suppressed oath.
and then the night had completely
swallowed him.
How utterly alone ] seemed: how
intensely. painfully still evpything
was, The silence felt almost like
weight. SO greatly It oppressed me.
Even the accustomed voices OF nature
were hushed. as II war. with its I'M
speakable cruelty. had cast spell
over all things animate and inanimate.
1t was weird. uncanny. With every
nerve strained. leaned forward
across the pommel Of my saddle. lis
Co. BE- al. In
that black void. My head burned and
throbbed as with fever. and felt that
strange. unnatural stiffness as though
1t had been a physical thing: surely
others besides US were upon this hill
top! For | knew well-my every sol
der instinct told me-that somewhere
out In that impenstrable mystery were
blazing the camp fires Of an enemy.
Vigtlant eyes were peertng every
where in search OF such as we. How
far away they might lurk l could not
even conjecture - perhaps merely
around some projecting wall Of rock,
and we might even now be within
the range OF their ready rifles. !
could hear the Quickened throbbing Of
my heart. and my hand fell heavily
ON q pistol butt in nervous expect
ancy.
The soft night wind. heavy with
pine odors. began suddenly to play
amid the leaves Of q low tree beside
me. and the pleasant rustling mingled
like strains Of music with the slow
breathing OF the horses. I recall It
now as one Of the loneliest moments
Of my life. one of those almost un-
accountable conditions of mind and
body when It seemed to me that the
thin. sinewy fingers Of an memorable
fate were closing down with a pres
sure which no strength OF man might
resist. l was worn with fatigue In
the saddle. but did not dream Of
sleep: my mind. In = firm endeavor
to cast aside tho uncanny influences
OF the hour. recalled In swift piano.
rama those three years Of civil strife
which had run their course since !.
a slender. white-faced lad. had stolen
forth into the moonlight from the por-
tails Of the old home. to ride away into
the northward where the throbbing
drums called me. So deeply had my
every thought become merged in
these musings that Craig. slipping 81
lently as a ghost from out the enguif-
ing darkness. laid hand upon my
bridlerein before I became aware Of
his approach.
Il got 'er all right now. Cap" he an
nounced quietly. peering up into my
face. We uns are not more nor =
hundred yards ter the right Of the
road. but reckon you'll ind Their way
u bit rough"
He led both horses forward. NOV
ing slowly and with that silent eau
ton SO characteristic of his class.
With scarcely the scraping OF hoof
on the finty rocks We came forth in
safety upon the defined. hard-beaten
track.
The south is over yonder ter the
left" he whispered. as he swung up
into saddle. AN the trend Of the road
is mighty nigh due west"
But In which direction does their
main camp lie. sergeant"
''Durn It; thets just what I can't
quite figure out. sir-whether we uns
be to Their north or south of Their
white church. Then. somehow or 9TH
err, It seems like tc me as II this
ysre road lay q bit too close ter the
% Ia g. h. n