The Eureka sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1902-current, 1912-10-12

drenched to the skin by the chill rain
that swirled through the gap, down
into the night ridden valley below.
Sky never was so black. Days of in
cessant storm had left It impenetrably
overcast. Three or four miles lay be-
tween the sullen travellers and the town
that Graded itself In the lower end of
the valley.
Night had stolen early upon the dour
spring day. Eight o'clock-no more
and yet II seemed to these men that
they had plowed forever through the
blackness of this evil night. through a
pointed paths. Few were the words
that had passed between them during
all those weary miles. An occasional
oath. mufied but impressive. fell from
the lips Of one or the other of those
who followed close behind the silent.
imperturbable leader. The tall man
was as silent as the ~unspeakable night
itself.
II was impossible to distinguish the
faces of these logged nightmares.
The collars of their coats were turned
up, their Threats were mufied and the
broad rims of their rain soaked hats
were far down over the eyes. There
was that about them which suggested
the unresented pressure OF firearms In
side the dry breast pockets of long
coats.
This was an evening in the spring Of
1878. and these men were forging
their way along a treacherous noun.
tain o in southwestern Virginia.
The washing away Of n bridge ten
miles farther down the valley had put
an end to all thought of progress by
rail. for the night at least. Rigid ne
cessity compelled them 10 proceed I'm
the face of the direst hardships. Their
mission was one that could not be
stayed so long as they possessed legs
and stout hearts. Since 3 o'clock in
the afternoon they had been strug-
Cling along their way. at times by mar
row wagon roads, not infrequently by
trails and footpaths that made for
economy In distance.
The tall a strobe onward with
never decreasing strength and CON
fdence. His companions, on the CON
trary, were faint Inc sore and scowl-
ing. They were not TO the mountains
born. They anne from the gentle low
lands by the sea. from broad planta-
lions and pleasant byways. from the
tidewater country. He was the leader
on this ugly night. and yet they were
the masters. They followed. but he
led at their bidding. They had known
him for less than six hours and did
not kno his name: nor he theirs for
that matter. They took him on faith
and for what he was w~orth-S5.
Are those the lights of the town."
painted one of the masters. a throb OF
hope In his breast.
"Yas. r." was all the tall man said.
How farT' demanded the other.
bout fo'h mile"
"Can we make 1t by o. Think"
"Yas, r."
Wed better be moving along. It's
half past { now"
"Yas. r.
Once more they set forward. descend
ing the slope into The less hazardous
road that wound its way into the town
or \, then, ms now. n thriving place
In the uplands. The ending of a dead
~ war not more than ten years prior
TO the opening of this tale had left
this part OF fair Virginia gasping for
breath, yet too proud 10 cry for help.
Virginia. the richest and fairest and
proudest of all the seeding states. was
but now finding her first moments of
real hope and grief.
Intermittent strains of music came
dancing up into the hills from the
heart of s. The wayfarers listened
In wonder.
"It's n band" murmured one of the
two behind.
Vas, r: a circus band" ~vouchsafed
the guide. n sudden eagerness in his
voice. ivan Siye's Great and Only
Mammoth shows
"A circusf' interrupted II of the
mel grufiy. Then the whole town is
full of strangers. That's bad for US.
Blake"
IL don't see why. He's more than
likely TO be where the excltement's
highest. amt he? He's not too old for
that. Well find him in that circus
tent. Tom. If he's in the town mt all"
First circus they've had in ;. in
a dawg's age ventured the guide.
with the ~irrelevancy Of an excited
hoy "Rlee's was there once. | cant
remember lust when. an' they was
some talk of Barnum las yeah, they
say. but he done pass us by. He's got
a Holy Beheemoth that sweats blood
this yeah. they say. Doggone. I'd like
to see one" The guide had not ven
tured so much as this. all told. In the
six hours OF their mountaineering,
Lets be moving on. I'm wet clear
through" shivered Blake.