Martinsburg statesman-democrat. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1906-1921, 1911-09-01

that black void. My head aarned ana
throbbed as with fever, and felt that
strange. unnatural stiffness as though
IL 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 imRenetrable mystery were
blazing the camp fires OF an enemy.
Vigilant eyes were peering every
where in search OF such as We. How
far away they might lurk 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 a pistol butt in nervous expect
ancy
The soft night wind. heavy with
pine odors. began suddenly to play
amid the leaves of low tree beside
me, and the pleasant rustling mingled
ike strains of music with the slow
breathing Of the horses. | recall 1t
now as one Of the loneliest moments
OF my life, one of those almost un-
accountable conditions of mind and
body when 1t seemed TO me, that the
hin, siaewy fingers of an memorable
late We're closing down with a pres
sure which no strength OF man might
resist ! was worn with fatigue in
the saddle, but did not dream of
G'narNt my t4ssh1 Ia A,.,x,
TO cast aside the uncanny influences
OF the hour, recalled in swift pano-
rama those three years OF civil strife
which had run their course since l,
a slender. Whitehead 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 ST.
lently as ghost from out the engulf-
ing darkness. laid hand upon my
bTidle-rein before | became aware OF
his approach.
Il got 'er all right now. Cap" he an
nounced quietly, peering up into my
face. I'VE uns are not more nor a
hundred yards ter the right of the
road. but | reckon you'll find Their way
a 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 1linty 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; thet's just what ! can't
quite figure out, sir-whether we uns
be to Their north or south of Their
white church. Then, somehow or 9TH
er, it seems like to me as II this
we're road lay a bit too close ter the
edge Of Their plateaus ter ever be the
main pike what the Feds marched
over. ! reckon from Their direction
it runs that maybe it might be
branch like, or wood-road leadin'
inter the other. If thet's the way 1t
is, then them fellers we uns is tryin'
ter dodge ought ter be down yonder
ter the left somewhat"
| gazed vaguely out into the black
vacancy to which he pointed.
We'll, If we should chance to run
up against one of their picket posts
We shall soon be enlightened" | re-
turned, urging my horse carefully for
ward. But we shall have to take
the chances, for it would not prove
healthy for either of us to be caught
here by daylight"
Not daring to venture on any gait
faster than walk along this unknown
and illdefined mountain trail, we SLOW
ly and cautiously worked our way
forward for more than an hour, meet
ing with no human obstacle to our
progress, yet feeling that each step
forward was surrounded by imminent
peril. That we were now well within
the guarded lines of the enemy
we were both assured, al
though where or how we had succeed
ed in penetrating the Gordon of picket
posts unobserved we could only con-
lecture.