Middletown transcript., 1911-10-21

An hour of this work passed.
Whether or not we we're yet within
the enemy's lines was largely conjec-
ture, for no human eye could pierce
the enveloping gloom, and no sound,
either of warning or encouragement,
reached US as We strained our ears.
The sergeant rode slightly in advance
as we toiIed up the higher terrace,
for our sole dependence as to direc-
ton and distance was upon his mem
ory, and even that could scarcely
serve for much on such . night as
this. traced his passage upward as
best / might, and pressed close after
him, guided not SO much by sight as
by sound-the occasional rolling Of q
loosened stone, the rustling Of leaves
as he touched bush in passage, the
faint clinking Of his sabre, and the
heavy breathing of his horse-until at
last his long, slender figure rose suf-
ficiently above the dark hill surface
to be family silhouetted in deeper
shadow against the dim reflection Of
the upper sky. Almost coincidentiy
with this my horse ranged up beside
his, where he had drawn rein in eVi-
dent perplsxity.
what is 1t, Dan?" l questioned eau
tiously; for all could feel reasonably
assured of Just then was that behind
any rock or tree In our front there
might be crouching a Federal picket.
"It's nothin', Cap" he answered
quietly, turning his face toward me az
he spoke. I'm Just tryin' ter mem
ber some landmark yerSabout ter
guide from. Blamed II ever see such
q dark night; it's like beIn' inside q
pocket, sir, an reckon as how 1t
must be nigh onter ten year since
run loose in this yere country as q
lid. Thet thar cutoff we took while
back has sort o. confused me; that's
q fac, and don't just know Whar
am; but l reckon as how the main
ridge road we're q huntin' after ought.
Or run somewhar out yonder." He
pointed forward into the night.
VERY well; hand me 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
these rocks"
The sergeant, q gaunt, tirelesS
meuntatneeF, slipped silently from AtS
saddle, swung his light cavalry car
bine from his back 10 the hOlIow OF
his arm, and In another moment was
lest to sight in the darkness. A snake
could not have slipped away more
stealthily. I heard a stone rattle un-
der his foot, q haIf-suppressed oath,
ana then the night had completely
swallowed him.
How utterly alone I seemed; how
intensely, painfully still everything
wasI The silence felt almost like
weight, SO greatly II oppressed me.
Even the accustomed voices Of nature
were hushed. as II war, with its un-
speakable cruelty, had cast spell
over ell things animate and inRnimatA
II was weird, uucanny. With every
nerve strained, / leaned forward
across the pommel Of my saddle. lis
tening for the slightest sound out in
that black void. My head burned and
throbbed as with fever, and felt that
strange, unnatural stiffness as though
it had been q physical thing; surely
others besides US were upon this hill.
topI For I knew Well-my every sol
der instinct told me-that somewhere
out In that impenetrable mystery were
blaEing the camp fires Of an enemy.
Vlgilant eyes were psering every
where in search Of such as we. How
far away they might lurk I could not
even conjecture - perhaps merely
around some projecting wall OF rock.
and we might even now be within
tho 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. l 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 |
thin, sinewy fingers Of an inexorable |
fate were closing down with q pres
sure which no strength Of man might |
resist. was worn with fatigue in |
the saddle, but did not dream Of |
Sleep, my mind, in nrm endeaVor !
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 ],
q slender, Whitehead lad, had stolen /
forth into the moonlight from the por.
tails Of the old home. to ride away into
the 1orthward where the throbbilg
drums called me. So deeply had my |
every thought become merged in
these musings that Craig. slipping 81
lsntly as 9 ghost from out the enguI.
ing darkness, laid hand upon my
bridle-rein before I became aware OF
his approach.
II got 'er all right now. Cap" he an
nounced quietly. peering up into my
face. I'VE uns are not more nor q
hundred yards ter the right Of the
road, but reckon you'll nnd ther way
: bit rough"
He led both horses forward, NOV
Ing slowly and with that silent eau
ton 80 characteristic Of his class.
with scarcely the scraping Of q hooG
on the fIinty rocks we came forth In
safety upon the defined, hard-beaten
track.
The south II over yonder ter the
left" he whispered, as he swung up
into saddle, IAN the trend Of the road
u 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 ther north or south Of ther
white church. Then, somehow or 9TH
ar IA seems like to me as IL this |