Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1911-12-06
CHAPTER v.-contjnued.

On one side OF US the bank Tell away
with such precipitancy that when we
once succeeded in dragging our load
to the edge, We experienced no dlth-
Guilty In sending 1t crashing down.
ward. The body plunged through the
thick underbrush at the bottom of the
oggre, where knew 1t would be CON-
pletely hidden, even in the glare of
daylight, from the spying eyes of any
troopers riding hard upon our track.
AS We rapidly worked on this disa-
greeable task, thought and planned;
two horses and three riders--one OF
these woman In need Of protection
"a dispatch to be delivered by day.
light, at all hazards. 1t was indeed
q difficult proposition, and l saw only
a single possible solution. One Of our
number must press on; two of us
must remain behind. Which one?
what two? If l rode with the dis
patch (and how eagerly l longed to
do so!) and succeeded in bringing
Lees message safe to Longstreet, 1t
meant much to me-promotion. dis
unct1On. honor. On the other hand,
If l remained behind, and Craig sue
cessfully carried out the duty which
had been especially intrusted to me,
l should be fortunate indeed to escape
with reprimand instead of more Sc
BiOus consequences. If failure result
ed, 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 l, for he knew the roads
much better. and-I write the words
hesitatingly-l could not trust him
there alone with the woman
l glanced aside at him as I thus
turned the perplexing situation over
In my mind-a tall, gaunt mountain
eer, whose sole discipline of mind and
body had been the army; hardened by
service until every muscle In his lean
s1newy frame was like steel, a cavalry
tnaa who would follow his leader into
the very Jaws Of he'll, but whose NOR
als were those Of the camp, ano
whose face revealed audacious devil
try such as no man would care to see
in one to whom he Entrusted the vel
fare of sister or wife.
Sergeant" asked, flinging aside
the improvised brush, "how far do yor
suppose We are from Longstreet's
picket line?"
Ten miles at the very best, sir
he answered promptly, AN l reckon
with another Yankee outpost atween.'
with fair luck and good riding il
might be made by daylight"
4 reckon as how 1t might, captain
II we only he'd sum fresh hosses,'' ht
said glumly; but It's bin mighty hare
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 bott
horses. Ride the woman's. It is the
fresher Of the two; but you are tt
get through il you kill them both anc
then walk"
His face frightened, and he raised
his hand in salute.
And you?" he asked, wonderingIy
Il remain with the woman: there
Is no other way. Wait here moment
while | speak with her."
left him standing there, and moved
back to where she waited. AS | came
up she faced me, and for the first time
(for the night had lightened some
what) l could see her eyes and dis
Germ some faint outline OF her face
where the night wind flung back the
upturned cape. 1t was a winsome
sight to soldier vision, but with a Ger
tain semblance OF pride and reserve
about 1t that caused hesitancy in my
speech strange to me.
"Madam."-l rested my hand upon
her horses name and looked at her
with a glance as proud as her own