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

and refreshed themselves on some
confiscated grain, the two of us lay
lazily back on q grassy knoll, we'll
within the shadow Of a ruined wall.
and watched the round, red sun drop
slowly down behind those western
hills We had to climb.
AS early as we deemed 1t safe to
venture, we were again in saddle,
riding now straight to the westward,
along the smooth.beaten pike, until
We caught sight Of the black shadow
of Cotton church, in our front: then
We swerved to the left. and still NOV.
Ing rapidly but with considerable care
for the horses, headed directly across
the more broken country toward the
foothills. 1t proved to be hard, toll
some climb up those long, steep
slopes rising before us: for We were
extremely careful now to keep we'll
away from every known route Of
travel, and our horses, although So
lected from among the best mounts OF
the cavalry brigade. had already been
thoroughly winded by their smart trot
up the valley.
An hour Of this work passed.
Whether or not We were yet within
the enemy's lines was largely conjec-
ture, for no human eye could pierce
the enveloping gloom. and no sound,
either OF warning or encouragement.
reached US as We strained our ears.
The sergeant rode slightly in advance
as We toiled up the higher terrace.
for our sole dependence as to direc-
tion and distance was upon his men
ory. and even that could scarcely
serve for much on such night a.
this. traced his passage upward as
best I might, and pressed close after
him, guided not so much by sight as
by sound-the occasional rolling OF q
loosened stone, the rustling OF leaves
as he touched q bush in passage. the
faint clinklng of his sabre, and the
heavy breathing of his horse-until at
last his long. slender figure rose SUI.
flciently above the dark hill surface
to be family silhouetted in deeper
shadow against the dim reflection Of
the upper sky. Almost coincidently
with this my horse ranged up beside
his, where he had drawn rein In evi.
dent perplexity.
What is 1t, DAM" questioned eau.
tiously; for all could feel reasonably
assured OF just then was that behind
any rock or tree in our front there
might be crouching a Federal picket.
IT'S nothin'. Cap" he answered
quietly. turning his face toward me as
he spoke. I'm Just tryin' ter men,
ber some landmark yereabout ter
guide from. Blamed II ever l see such
a dark night; it's like bein' inside q
pocket. sir, an I reckon as how 1t
must be nigh onter ten year since
run loose in this yere country as a
kid. Thet thar cutoff We took a while
back has sort O confused me; that's
a fac. and don't just know whar
am; but reckon as how the main
ridge road we're huntin after ought.
er run somewhar out yonder." He
pointed forward into the night.
very we'll; hand me your rein. and
see what you can discover out there
on foot. Sitting here isn't apt to
mend matters, and We surely cannot
afford TO cripple our horses among
those rocks"
The sergeant gaunt. tireless
mountaineer, slipped silently from his
saddle, swung his light cavalry car
bine from his back 10 the ho'iow OF
his arm. and In another moment was
lost to sight In the darkness. A snake
could not have slipped away more
stealthily. heard stone rattle un'
der bis foot. half.suppressed oath.
and then the night had completely
swallowed him.
How utterly alone 7 seemed how
intensely. painfully still everything
was! The silence felt almost like q
weight. 80 greatly II oppressed me.
Even the accustomed voices OF nature
were hushed, as II war, with It's I'M
speakable cruelty. had cast a spell
over all things animate and inanimate.
1t was weird. uncapny. With every
nerve strained, leaned forward
across the pommel OF my saddle, lis
fening for the slightest sound out In
that black void My head burned and
throbbed as with fever, and felt that
strange, unnatural stiffness as though
1t had been a physical thing; surely
Others besides us were upon this hill
top. For knew well--my every sol
der instinct told me-that somewhere
out In that impenetrable mystery were
blazing the camp fires OF an enemy.
Vigllsnt eyes were peering every
where la search or such as We, How