Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1911-09-15
AAPTER ".
4 woman with . TempeIr.

.t4APTER w.
A Woman With . Temper.
I think We must have bean fully IN
hour 1t It, ridisg at no mean pace.
and with utter disregard Of danger.
Although I knew little Of whore W
were, and nothing a. to the condition
Of the path We traversed, yet 20 COM
plete was my confidence In Craig that
I felt no hesitancy In blindly following
the pace he set. Then . black shape
doomed up before US 20 suddenly that
it was only BY quick effort pre-
vented q collision. Even - held
my horse poised half in air. per.
ceiyed II was Craig himself who
blocked tho way.
''What 10 It, sergeant"
"A picket, sir. at tho end Of the
road" no said, quietly. II kinder reck.
oned they'd hev some sort O. guard
thar. 20 crept up On the quiet tor b
sure. The TELLER helped me out . BIT
by strikin' match ter see what time
twas. or I reckon Id . walked over
him In Their dark"
Had We better ride him down?" !
asked. thinking only how rapidly the
night hours were speeding and Of the
importance Of tho duty pressing upon
~.
''Not with Their woman, SIR" he an.
swered in . low. reproachful voice.
Besides We never could git through
without shot, an II BY any dern luck
1t should turn out to be cavalry out
post-an' I sorter reckon that's what
1t is-why, our horses are In no shape
fer hard run. You uns better wait
here, sir, an let me tend ter that soger
man quiet like. an then p'raps We uns
kin all slip by without stirrin' up
Their patrol
WELL" said. reluctantly, Yield
Ing to what felt was doubtless tho
wiser course, and mechanically grasp
ing the rein he held out to me, go
ahead. But bs careful. and don't
waste any time. II We hear the sound
Of shot We shall ride forward under
spur" /.
"All right. sir. but therell DO no
fuss, fer I know Just whar Their Teller
u.s." ~
Time seems criminally long whom
one il compelled to wait in helpless
uncertainty. every nerve on strain.
Hold yourself ready for . sudden
start" said. warningly to my COM
panion. III there 10 any noise Of .
struggle yondsr shall drive in the
spurs"
AZ I spoke I swung the sergeant's
horse around to my side. where I
could control him more readily.
There was no reply from the WON.
an, but I noticed she endeavored to
draw together the tapping cape Of
her cloak, - though she felt chilled
by the wind and her figure seemed to
stiften In tho saddle.
Il came at last-not the sharp flash
Of musket cleaving the night In
twain, but merely the tall figure OF
the sergeant. stealing silently out Of
the gloom like q black ghost. and
standing at our very horses heads.
"All clear. sir" he reported in .
matter.of.fact tone. "But We shall
hsv ter move mighty quiet, fer Their
main picket post amt more nor q
hundred yards ter the right o Their
crossin'."
He did not remount, but. with rsins
fiung loosely over his arm, led the
way slowly forward. and carefully We
followed him.
What had become Of the sentinel I
did not know. respecting Crais's svi.
dent desire for silence; but - No
drew nearer the White Briar road I
sought in vain to pierce the dense
gloom and note some sign Of strug.
gle, some darker shadow whore .
body might be lying. There was moth
ing visible to tell the story.
The sergeant walked without the
least hesitation across the open space.
directly into the deep shadows oppo-
site, where the cross.road continued
to hold way Crouching low In the
saddle, we followed him rs silently
a. though We were but spirits Of the
night. Up the road caught the red
CLEAN Of a FIRE almost spent, and .
black figure crossed US. casting IN odd
shadow against the face Of tho rock
where It was lighted by the hickering
red blaze. It was all over In mo
msnt, . mere glimpse. but It formed
one Of those sudden pictures which
paint themselves on the brain and
can never after be e6aced. recall
yet the long shade cast by the mans
run, The srotssque shape Of his nap
ping army overcoat. the quick change
in tho silhouette a. no wheeled to re-
trace his beat. But there was No
noise, not even the sound Of his foot
steps, reaching NJ. Even - gased.
lying open 1t full length upon my
horse, We had crossed the open. and .
perfect tangts Of low bushes hid us
- completely - II We had entered The
yawning mouth Of 4 cavern.
j. hundred yards or more OF sharply
curvinY road denssly lined With shrub.
bery on either hand. and then Craig
swung into saddle and again gave
spur to his horse.
I'VE must ride for It now" he said,
tsrssly.4 when tibet patrol makes
their round, them fellers win b aftsr
us hot" gs s.
urged my tired horse 70 gsllop.
pressing upon Craig's heels . closely
% I dared: nor did I glance back, Tor
4 knew we'll that = tssad picket No.
lying somewhere by the croGs-roads,
and that hia eon,rnAAa would ~ heard