The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1913-05-10

far away they might lurk l could not
even conjecture - perhaps merely
around some projecting wall Of rock,
and We might even now be within
the range of their ready rifles.
could hear the quickened throbbins ~
my heart, and my hand fell heavily
on a pistol butt In nervous expect
ancy.
The soft night wind, heavy with
pine odors. began suddenly to play
amid the leaves Of low tree beside
me, and the pleasant rustling mingled
like strains Of music with the slow
breathing OF the horses. recall 1t
now as one of the loneliest moments
OF my life, one of those almost un-
accountable conditions of mind and
body when It seemed to me that the
thin, sinewy fingers of an inexorable
fate were closing down with a pres
sure which no strength of man might
resist. was worn with fatigue In
the saddle. but did not dream OF
sleep; my mind, In a firm endeavor
to cast aside the uncanny influences
OF the hour, recalled in swift pano-
rama those three years of civil strife
which had run their course since I,
a slender, white.faced lad, had stolen
forth into the moonlight from the por.
tails Of the old home, to ride away into
the northward where the throbbing
drums called me. So deeply had my
every thought become merged in
these musings that Craig. slipping ST.
lently as ghost from out the engulf-
ing darkness, laid hand upon my
bridle-rein before I became aware OF
his approach.
II got 'er all right now. Cap" he an.
nounced quietly. peering up into my
face. I'VE uns are not more nor q
hundred yards ter the right OF the
road. but reckon you'll find ther way
bit rough"
He led both horses forward, NOV.
Ing slowly and with that silent eau.
ton SO characteristic OF his class.
With scarcely the scraping Of a hoof
on the flinty rocks We came forth In
safety upon the defined. hard-beaten
track.
"The south is over yonder Ter the
left" he whispered, as he swung up
Into saddle, AN the trend Of the road
Is mighty nigh due west"
But in which direction does their
main camp lie. sergeant"
"Durn It: thets just what I cant
quite figure out, sir-whether We uns
be to ther north or south OF ther
white church. Then. somehow or oth-
er. It seems like to me as IL this
yere road lay a. bit too close ter the
edge OF ther plateaus ter ever be the
main pike what the Feds marched
over. reckon from ther direction
it runs that maybe It might be q
branch like, or a wood-road leadin'
inter the other. If thet's the way it
Is. then them fellers We uns is tryin'
ter dodge ought tor be down yonder
ter the left soInewhar."
gaZed vaguely out into the black
vacAncy TO which he pointed.
''Teu, Il we should chance to run
we shall soon be enlightened" I re-
turned, urging my horse carefully for.
ward. But We shall have to take
the chances, for it would not prove
healthy for either Of US to be caught
here by daylight"
Not daring to venture on any gait
faster than a walk along this unknown
and ill-defned mountain trail, we slow.
ly. and cautiously worked our way
forward for more than an hour, meet.
ing with no human obstacle to our
progress, yet feeling that each step
forward was surrounded by imminent
peril. That We were now we'll within
the guarded lines Of the enemy
We were both assured, al
though where or how we had succeed
ed in penetrating the Gordon OF picket
posts unobserved We could only con-
lecture.