The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1912-03-05

the widely scattered patrol were send
Ing chance shots across the stream
A claag CT hooiS rang out upon tho
rocks, but j could distinguish moth.
Ing indicating n large pursuing party
probably the two who were mounted
et the ford, with possibly others fol
lowing when they c,uSht their strayod
horecs. had little to fear from such
hali-Aearted pursuit as this was sure
to lie. The swift, powerful stride OF
the animal rode assured me that
was not i'll mounted. AID there was
small chance OF contact with Federal
outriders before l should roach the
protecting picket lines OF our oNs
army. l laughed grimly as / loAned
slightly back IN saddle AID listened;
II WIS lie play, 80 swift and ex-
citing had been the passing events.
SO unexpected their ending. l won
dered what plsus!5.e story tine dis
comfitei lieutenant wcu,d concoct to
account for his predicament, and
whether TIE others had yet missed me
bsck at the Mansion House.
The stars appeared to be paling
somewhat down in the east for the
coming day-dawn was already whitcn-
ils the hcr.zon. 1 glanced at nay
watch, ventUrins 10 otrike = match
for the purpose. and found the hour
after three o'clock. Early, / knew,
was at Sowder Church, and his ad-
vance cavalry plcke,s ought to be IS
f@r west as the WerreHtown road.
Tho distance between, b. hard riding,
might be covered in three hours. My
horse seemed fresh. his breath came
naturally ard without effort, and |
pressed him along rapidly, fer my
whole ambition now centred upon
bringing the information l possessed
within our own lines. Durgay, be.
You'd doubt, had been recaptured long
since, fer my own experience told re
how extremely vigiiant were the Fed
erai guards. To one unGcqua!nted as
he Was with military customs It would
prove impossible to penetrate their
lines; hence, everything must depend
upon my getting through in safety.
Then my thoughts drifted te the
one had left in such ser!ouE preGica-
inert. III had loved her before, ]
loved her doubly nov, for she had
pToyOn herself woman among WON
en- in time OF danger and triel. How
clearly her fSco, with those dark
sweet eyes and the wealth Of crown
ing hair. rcSe before me, while word
by word | reviewed all that had passed
between us. dwelling uTon each look
CT accent that could evince her pos
sible interest in ne. Then reason re-
turned TO my aid, ard resoiutely, de-
terminedly. Inspired by every instinct
Of scldiariy honor, ! resolved that l
would put her from my thoughts for
ever. She vas not mine either to love
o. possess, unless the uncertain fate
Of war should chance to set her free.
Even to dream OF her, to cherish her
in memory while she remained the
wife OF another was but an affrcnt 20
her purity and womanhood. l would
prove myself q man entitled to her
respect, a soldier worthy my Gorvice
and corps; il ever again my name
Glanced to find mention in her pres
cHce It should be spoken with honor
/ was musing thus, lullod by the
steady LORE Of my horse, and totally
! iLsensible to any possibility of peril,
/ when Gear upon my ears, instantly
awakening nc from such reverie,
there rang through the night silence
the sharp clang OF irca On the road
behind me. All sound Of pursuit had
| long since died away, and l supposed
the effort to rocapture me had been
abandoned. But there was no mis-
taking now-at least ore horseman,
riding recklessly through the black
night, was pressing hot upon my trail
The lieutenant" | thought, 1.-The
lieutenant, burning with anger at the
trick played upon him, has pushed far
ahead of his troop, doubtless mounted
upon a better horse, determined to
rick everything if he may only bring
| me back dead or alive"
This thought awoke me in an in
stant from my dreaming, and /
sQurred my horse furiously, glancing
anXiously Backward az l rode, bat I'm
able through that dense gloom to dis
/ tinguish the form Of my pprsuer, Yet
the fellow was coming, coming faster
than any speed / could possibly con
jure out of the weary black ] bestrode.
| either by whip or spur. Closer and
closer upon ne came rushing down
! that pounding of iron boots on the
hard path. Heavens! how like very
demon the man rode! rs trooper |
could not withhold admiration from
the reckless aud2city with which the
vengeful fellow bore down upon me.
In spite of my utmost efforts Il al.
most seemed as if we were standing
still Surely nothing less than hate,
end thirst for vengeance bitter as
death. implacable as fate, could ride
like that through the black night on
the track CT a hunted man!
/ was able 90 trace dimly his out
lines now as be rose on an cminencc
in ny rear, his horse looming dark
against the sky like those giant
steeds that snorted fire in my child's
picture-books at home, and then, with
increasingly louder thunder of hoof-
beats, he came charging straight down
toward me. In sheer desperation ]
glanced on either side, seeking some
avenue Of escape, but the high banks
were unscalablc; ny solo remaining
hope lay in a shot which should drop
that cTazed brute before he struck
and crushed Inc. Riding nay best,
with all the practl5ed skill of the
service, / swung ray body siGeways