Rural Retreat times. [volume] (Rural Retreat, Va.) 1892-1918, 1912-02-23

my MANI"
Compliments of Colonel Maitland,
chief of staff, sir" he said. handing
me a folded paper.
| Dear Wayne" the private note
read, believing you would be glad
to have the detail have just ar.
ranged to send you at once upon some
active service. Please report at these
quarters Immediately. fully equipped
! for the field"
Glad! 1t was the very medicine
most needed, and within twenty min
utes of my receipt of this communi-
cation was with Maitland, thanking
him warmly for his thoughfulness
Not another word Wayne" be in
! sisted 1T is not much, a mere scout
ing detail over neutral territory, and
will prove dull enough. | only hope it
may help to divert your mind rifle.
Now listen-you are to proceed with
twenty mounted men or the escort
west as far as the foothills and are
expected to note carefully three
things: First, the condition of for
age for the sustenance of wagon
train; second, what forces of FEEDER
al troops, If any, are along the Honey
we'll; and third, the gathering of all In
formation obtainable as to the report
ed consolidation of guerillas for pur-
4 poses of plumber between the lines. II
time suffice. you might cross over into
the valley of the Ccwskin and learn
the condition of forage there as we'll
A guide will accompany your party,
and you are to avoid contact with the
enemy as far as possible. Your men
carry FIVE days rations You under
stand fully?"
Il do. sir: presume am 81 start
at once?"
Your squad. under command OF
! Sergeant Ebers. is already waiting out
! side"
Are you all ready sergeant?'
asked of the rather heavyweight Ger
= man who stood fronting me. his broad.
red face as impressive as though carved
/ from stone
We yos captain"
Where is the guide?"
Dot is him. nit der mule. amt it?"
he answered, pointing with one euge
hand down the road
Very we'll, we will pick him up
then as we go.
| cared so little as to whether or not
he accompanied US at all, that we had
| advanced some distance before the
thought Of him again occurred to me,
knew the gentry fairly well. and had
experienced in the past so many evil
dences of their stupidity, if not actual
disloyalty, as to prefer my own knowl-
edge of the country to theirs. My
thought, indeed, for several miles was
not at all with the little party OF
troopers Jogging steadily at my heels,
nor. in truth, was it greatly concerned
with the fate of the expedition. That
was but service routine, and rode
forward carelessly enough. never
i dreaming that every hour OF progress
was bearing me toward the most inn
portant adventure of my life. 1t was
the German sergeant who recalled me
| to the responsibilities of command.
/ Captain" he exclaimed apologet-
ically. riding up to my side and wiptng
his round, perspiring face with great
energy, we are riding too hard. amt
We? Mein Colt, but der horses will
give out entirely, already"
rs that so?" asked in surprise at
his words A single swift glance
around convinced me he was correct,
for the mounts were exceedingly soft,
I and already looked nearly played out
from our sharp pace. Very well,
we will halt here
With sigh of relief he drew back,
and as he did so my eyes fell for the
first time upon the guide. AS live.
it was Jed Bungay. and when | stared
at him in sudden amazement he broke
into a broad grin
"Durn if didn't begin ter think as
how ye'd gone an clar forgot me,
Cap"
Not lit of 1t. Jed and rode up
to him and extended my hand. But
how came you here? Are you the
/ guide?"
Sure thing, cap; know this yere
kintry like a bulk, faded horsemen
from the west, at evening to the castle
| pressed. by gum, you put BeelZebub
an me through a. blamed hard jolt of
it SO fur"
"Beelzebub?"
"Ye bet. Their mule; l reckon as how
We amt gone an forgot him. hev yer
"Bungay, what has become of Ma
ria?"
The little mans eyes suddenly filed
with tears.
i jist don't know, cap" he answered
mournfully. "Whin | got hum Their
oil cabin he'd bin plum burnt down.
nary stick O. it left by gum! an Ma
riar she wuz clean gone. Hain't seed
neither hide ner hair o her since,
thet's fac. An sorter drifted back
ter you uns cause didn't hev nowhar
else ter CO."
Ibid you hunt for her among the old
plantations along the valley?" | asked,
deeply touched by biz evident feeling,
She very likely so;ssht refuge in
some of those houses"
(To BE CoNfINUED)
2ne of Lies Mysteries.
~.t.