Martinsburg statesman-democrat. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1906-1921, 1911-09-01
CHAPTER ".
A Woman With a Temper.

4 tuiUh we muSt nave Deem Iuily du
hour at 1t, riding at no mean pace,
| and with utter disregard of danger.
| Although I knew little OF where we
| were, and nothing as to the condition
OF the path we traversed. yet so COM
plete was my confidence in Craig that
felt no hesitancy In blindly following
| the pace he set Then a black shape
doomed UP before US SO suddenly that
| 1t was only by quick effort I pre-
vented collision. Even as | held
my horse soised half in air, per-
ceiyed it was Craig himself who
blocked the way.
What is it. sergeant?"
"A picket, sir. at the end of the
road" he said, quietly. Il kinder reck-
oned they'd hev some sort o. guard
thar, so | crept up on the quiet ter be
sure. The Teller helped me out bit
by strikin' a match ter see what time
twas. or | reckon I'd a 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 the duty pressing upon
us.
Not with Their woman, sir" he an
swered in low, reproachful voice.
Besides we never could git through
without a shot, an If by any dern luck
1t should turn out to be cavalry out
post--an' ] 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, en- then p'raps We uns
kin all slip by without stirrin' up
theT patrol"
We'll" I said, reluctantly, yield
ing to what felt was doubtless the
wiser course, and mechanically grasp
ing the rein he held out to me, go
waste any time. If we hear the sound
OF shot we shall ride forward under
spur" ,
"All right, sir, but there1l be no
fuss, fer / know just whar Their Teller
is"
one is compelled to wait in helpless
uncertainty, every nerve on strain.
Hold yourself ready for sudden
start" | said, warningly to my com
panion. IF there is any noise of a
struggle yonder | shall drive in the
spurs
AS | spoke l swung the sergeant's
horse around to my side, where /
could control him more readily.
There was no reply from the wom-
an, but noticed she endeavored to
draw together the Tapping cape of
her cloak. as though she felt chilled
by the wind and her figure seemed to
stiffen in the saddle.
1t came at last--not the sharp fash
of musket cleaving the night in
twain, but merely the tall figure Of
the sergeant, stealing silently out OF
the gloom like a black ghost and
standing at our very horses heads.
'All clear, sir" he reported in a
matter-of-fact tone. But we shall
hev ter move mighty quiet, fer Their
main picket post amt more nor a
hundred yards ter the right O. Their
crossin'."
He did not remount, but, with reins
flung loosely over his arm, led the
way slowly forward, and carefully we
followed him.
What had become of the sentinel
did not know, respecting Craig's evil
dent desire for silence but as we
drew nearer the White Briar road
sought in vain to pierce the dense
gloom and note some sign of a strug
gle, some darker shadow where a
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 as silently
as though We were but spirits of the
night Up the road | caught the red
CLEAN of fire almost spent, and a
black figure crossed US, casting an odd
shadow against the face of the rock
where it was lighted by the pickering
red blaze. 1t was all over in a mo-
ment, a mere glimpse, but 1t formed
one of those sudden pictures which
paint themselves on the brain and
----------------.-----