The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1912-02-15

was. first OF all, soldier and moth
ing short OF death or capture should
prevent me reaching Lee with my
message, Let what would happen, all
else could watt
The CLEAN OF the stars fell upon the
double row OF buttons down the
breast of the coat | wore, and
stopped suddenly with an exclamation
OF disgust Nothing could be gained
by longer masquerade and ! felt In
expressibie shame at being thus at.
tired. Neither pass nor uniform
would suffice to get me safe through
those outer picket lines and II should
rail- In the attempt. or be again made
prisoner | vastly preferred meeting
my fate clad In the faded gray OF my
own regiment With odd sense of re-
lief hastily stripped on the gorgeous
trappings, flung them In the ditch be,
side the road. and pressed on. feeling
| like new man.
There was small need for caution
here, and for more than an hour {
tramped steadily along never meeting
a person or being startled by sus.
| picious sound. Then ms | rounded q
low eminence | perceived before me
the darkoutlines Of trees which marked
the course OF the White Briar. while
! directly In my front, and half OBJ,
secured by thick leaves OF the under
brush. hlazed the red glare of fire.
l knew the stream well, its steep
banks of percipitate rock, Its rapid.
swirling current which. was well
aware, was not a sufficiently expert
swimmer to cross. once upon the
other bank should be comparatively
safe, but to pass that picket post and
attain the ford was certain to require
all the good fortune | could ever hope
for.
But despair was never for long my
comrade, and | had learned how de.
termination opens doors to the coura,
Eeous-it is ever he who tries that en-.
tiers In. II took me ten minutes. pos
sibly, creeping much OF the way like
wild animal over the rocks, but at
the end Of that time had attained a
position well within the dense thicket,
and could observe clearly the ground
before me and some OF the obstacles
to be overcome
As | supposed It was a cavalry out
post; | could distinguish the crossed
sabers on the caps Of the men, al.
though It was some time before was
able to determine positively where
their horses were picketed There
must have been all of twenty in the
party, and ! could distinguish the lieu.
tenant in command. midde-aged
man with llghtcolored chin beard,
seated by himself against the wall OF
a small shanty Of logs, pipe in his
mouth and an open book upon his
Euec. His men were gathered close
about the blazing fire. for the night
air was decidedly chill as II swept
down the valley; number were
sleeping, few at cards, while little
group sitting with their backs to-
ward me, yet almost within reach Of
my hand. were idly smoking and dis.
cussing the floating rumors OF the
camp / managed to make out dimly
tho figure OF man on horseback be
yond the range Of fame, and appar
entity upon the very bank of the
stream, when some words spoken by
an old graybeared sergeant interested
me
Bob" he said to the soldier loung.
ing next him, "whut wus 1t tibet stan /.
officer sed ter Their leftenant? didn't |
Just git thcr straight OF IT," |
The man a debonair yong fellow. /
nectively.
Their cove Sod MS how Coles di.
vision wud be along here afore day.
light, ~ thet our fellers wud likely
be sent out ahead OF EN-"
"Nhar be they n goin'?"
The leftenant asked him. an the
cove sed as It wus glneral advance
to meet Of Hancock at Minersvilie."
"Thet's good nough lads" chlmed
in tho sergeant. shaping his knee. 1T
means dance down the valley after
Early, I'm a guessin' well have a
bangnp OIL fight fore three days
more"
'Pervidin' alters tibet Their Johnnies
don't skedaddle fust," commented an
other, tartly. Whit in thunder ia
Their matter with them hossss?" he
asked suddenly. rising and peering
over into the bushes beyond the hut,
where n noise of squealing and kick.
Ing had arisen
on, the bay lllly is probably over
Tho rope agin," returned the ser.
5eant, lazily, sit down, Sims. an be
easy; you're not on boss guard ter.
light"
Il know thet," growled the soldier
loubtfully, but tibet thar Kid is no
good, an don't want my boss all
BANGED up just as we're goin' on
faint no sorter way ter
hitch EN- anyhow. to n picket rope;
uins more bosses than Their Rebs
lew"
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