Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1912-10-12
The Fugitive.


accomplishing; all OF them
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 It seemed to these men that
they had plowed forever through the
blackness of this evil night, through
hundred .v1llainous shadows by I'M
pointed paths Few were the words
that had passed between them during
all those weary miles. An occasional
oath, muffled 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.
It was impossible to distinguish the
faces Of these logged nightmares
The collars Of their coats were turned
up, their Threats were muf1ed 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
1875, and these men were forging
their way along a treacherous noun
tain road in southwestern Virginia.
The washing away of a 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 to proceed in
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 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 man strobe onward with
never decreasing strength and con-
hdence. His companions, on the con-
trary, were faint and sore and scowl-
ing. They were not to the mountains
born. They came from the gentle low
lands by the sea, from broad planta-
tons and pleasant byways, from the
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 know his name: nor he theirs for
that matter. They took him on faith
and for what he was worth-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 far?" demanded the other.
Bout fob mile
"Can we make it by 8, think?-
"Yas, r"
"We'd better be moving along. It's
half past 7 now
"Yas, r.
Once more they set forward. descend
ing the slope into the less hazardous
road that wound its way into the town
of s., then. as 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, vet too proud to 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 a band" murmured one of the
two behind.
"Yas. r; circus band,'' vouchsafed
the guide. a sudden ca gerness in his
voice. ivan Slye's Great and Only
Aaumofh shows
a circus:- interrupted one of the
men gruffiy. Then the whole town is
full of strangers That's bad for us.
Blake,
81 don't see why. He's more than
likely to be where the excitement's
highest. amt he? He's not too old for
that Wen ind him in that circus
tent. Tom. if he's in the town ut all"
"F'irst circus they've had in $. in
a dawg's age" ventured the guide.
with the irreIevancy of an excited
boy. "Rice's was there once L can't
remember just when. an they was
some talk of Barnum las yeah. they
say. but he done pass us by. He's got
Holy Beheemotb 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 acquaintanceship-
Lets be moving on I'm wet clear
through" shivered Blake