The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1912-07-24

Ccnunu@d from preceding PA9~
wounded man would neCessItats
watchers, whtle no doubt, Claire
would anticipate by reaching there
before morning. Ali this flashed over
me, as ny eyes hastily surveyed the
familiar surroundings Then be.
came Gwars that ne ofdsr scout was
Eeporttas.
there's cutie q bunch Of horses
picketed down there IN The rsvine.
STR, he said. pointing toward ths
right
How rranyf"
"Oh, maybe twenty-five or thfFtyI
Joe an couldn't get very close, az
there's q couple Of men on guard on
top " the bank. A hundred feet down
you can go zen plain against the
sky."
Wasn't Snza Sou szx q cattle
herdP'
No sfl" positively. "Tnsyr
horses. pioketed In line hho q cavalry
troop, and they've got their saddles
on"
What this an meant couid una be
guessed ct. but there must be snns
scheme Of deviltry under way.
~HsVe either OF you crossed me To
vtnef" asked, endsavOEinS 10 roach
some conclusion
Yes, sir, Joe dSd.. Hs was I'D On
the edge Of the orchArdT
"See any menf"
mot . man, sir. CutSides@ Gnsw~red
the other. But saw shadows against
! the curtains on that lower noog.
couldn't tell how manyf thsy 3nst
come an go. only they Wasn't dressed
alihe." \
One thing was sunicieutfy oertzfn--
we could gain little infOrmaet02 Es
naming whore We werA
Sergeant" said, determining
swiftly on q course OF action. take
your men, dismounted. across mo "a
vine. and into the orchard Keep I'M
der cover, but get az oioGe 70 the
house as you can safely. PicEsa yuOl
horses back there beside the road"
"And you. sirf"
'TT take Tom with me. and ven
circle that horse herd. and come VI
to the house from the rear. ~Wni
to discover where those fellows are
and what they are ~ %. See Ghil
whistle. sergeantH"
Yes, SIR"
cit gives sharp, sfrfn blAsA n
blow 1t twice. get your men INSIDE
the house instantly. I'll not sound
It unless need you at once. Wei
wait here until you get across"
The disappeared into the biAcf
depths Of the ravtne. moving cautious
ly and with little noise. Tom and
plunged down the steep slope. feeling
our way through the darkness. bat
moving TO the right, toward where
the scouts had indicated the horses
were being herded. We skirted these
creeping along the opposite bank be
hind q fringe OF bushes, Fta4n that
the darkness concealed our move
ments from tho two men on guard
We crossed, hfty feet above. gained
the top Of the bank. and Crawled
down. sheltered from observation. IN
I'll we were directly Shove the two
guards. Peering cautiously Oveg. We
could easily distinguish the black sat
lines on the hillside below.
One man was standing mp, leaufnH
against the trunk Of q EmaI tHea
while the other was sitting on the
ground, his head bent forward End
his hat drawn low over his eyes. Mes
Their had uttered q sound, but 90 mn
| eyes strained through the darkness ]
began to perceive details which
awakened q new SUSPICION. TIA fel
low standing up wore @ cap and nc
coat, and his hands were ciaaped
about q short, sawed-On gun. he had
: none Of the appearance Of the pOi
der, but the other man ApparenflJ
I was In uniform, although could moi
distinguish its character. What IN
SANITY attracted my attention waa The
tact that his hands we're evideuky
ied behind his back. n this was true
then he was a prisoner. and the other
) had been stationed there TO guard him.
and not the horses. Tom perocfved
, this as soon as !, for telt his nngars
grip my arm.
"Creep around ne edss az No ROCK
J there" said. pointing. THAT WIN
bring you at his back. and not more
than FIVE feet away. Can you DO itf"
He nodded gr1miy.
Leave your weapons here added,
"snd when you spring. get hold Of his
gun so he cannot FIRE. I'll cover him
the instant you strife. 90 on"
} He unbuckled his belt, and creu4
along to the right, 80 nUtselessiy that
even /, watching his snakelike move
ment could hear no sound The
guard did not move his head, and the
other remained mottoniesa, his face
! bent almost TO his knees. Down be-
! low the horses stamped rest1essly,
! and switched their tails. Watching
! each motion like a hawk, I saw Tom
dip over the crest, and worm his way
down behind the rock. Tho he dis
appeared. until, as he cautiously arose
to his feet, his head and shoulders
z emerged shadowy Just beyond. Real
! izing he was ready, got to my knees,