The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1911-12-21
CHAPTER v.
A Disaster on the Road.

a Disaster on the Road.
To me she was merely Il woman
whom II had become my duty to pro:
tect. and whatever OF chiyalrous feel
ing ! may have held toward her was
based upon nothing deeper than this
knowledge She had come to us unde-
sired and In darkness, her form en-.
veloped In cavalry cloak. her face
shrouded by the night AS to wheth.
err she was young or old had scarce
means of knowing, saving only that
the tone OF her voice and the graceful
manner OF her riding made me conf
dent that she had not lost the agility
OF youth. But beyond this vague i'm.
preston ct was little more), and a
fieeting CLEAN Of the starlight In her
eyes as she faced me In anger, | was
as totally unaware of how she really
looked as though we had never met
Her very name was unknown TO me
Who was this Major BrennanH WA
he father. brother or husband7 and
was her name Brennan also7 For
gome reason this last possibility was
repngnant to me. Yet | knew not
why.
You ride as though born to the SAL
de-" said pleasantly: and althoW
] spoke low, We were so close to
gether that my voice carried distinctly
to her ears. We have been suffi-
ciently concelted to suppose that to
be an accomplishment peculiar to our
Southern women"
Il have been accustomed TO ride
since childhood" she replied rather
shortly. and was conscious OF re-
straint In her manner far from pleas
Ing. Yet | ventured upon one more
effort at conversation.
rs Major Brennan an officer on
Sheridan's staff?"
Il was not aware"--and could not
mistake the accent OF vindictiveness
In her volce-"that prisoners were
obliged to converse against their
will"
Il ask your pardon, am sure"
returned soberly. But my question
was not altogether an idle one. I
have CHANGED to meet several of
General Sheridan's stan, and thought
possibly Major Brennan might have
been of their number Seeing tnat
we must associate for time, ! uas-
urally felt II would prove pieasanter
for both OF US II we might discover
some mutual tie"
There was no response.
Tho road We were following here
took sudden trend downward, and
We could tell from the sharper ring
OF the hoofs. and the splitting of fiinty
sparks beneath US. that we were
among rocks once more. Then our
horses suddenly splashed into water,
and held them up long enough to
drink. | felt thirst strongly myself,
and slipping out of the saddle filed
my canteen.
Would you care ;or drink"
asked, stemming the stream to reach
her side, and holding the vessel with
In easy grasp OF her hand.
actually believe her first impulse
was to refuse haughtily this preferred
civility from an enemy OF her coun.
try, but the deep sense OF need con.
quered her to accept the offering. An
other hill followed. and then another,
and finally we swept swiftly down a
long slope densely bordored by trees
and with irregular piles OF rock up
rearing ugly heads on either hand. |
caught a swift glimpse of q rough |
log house on the right, SO set back |
among trees that half doubted It's
real existence. when-there was q
slip, the crunching OF stone, q long
stumble forward that fairly wrenchsd
my hand loose from the woman's rein.
and then. hopelessly struggling to re-
gain his feet, my horse went down
with q crash. head under, and | was
hurled heavily forward upon my face.
Craig, startled at the sudden crash be-
hind him. spurred back to learn the
full extent Of my disaster. BY this
time had regained my feet.
I'm all right think, sergeant" l.
said hastily. but the sorrel has brok-
en- her neck"
He began to swear at our Ill luck,
but stopped him with . gesture he
Knew better than to ignore.
Enough Of that commanded,
'ternly. Bad fortune is seldom bet
erred by hard words. Efrst Of all, !
help me to drag this dead body out Of I
light