The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1913-05-16

and farther along . foot slipped on q
stone. but the slight noise
died unnoticed In the night. 1t was
farther to the gully than he had sup
posed: his heart wal In his throat
fearing he had missed 1t, half believing
the depression failed to extend to the
base of the blun. Then his foot, ex-
ploring blindiy, touched the edge Of
the bank Carefully he laid his bur.
den down. placing his battered cam
paign hat beneath her head. He bent
over her again, assuring himself that
she breathed regularly. and then crept
down alone into the shallow ravine.
His nerves were like steel now, hts
hand steady. his heart beating with.
out an accelerated throb. He knew
the work. and rejoiced in It. This was
why he was a soldier. Silently. swift
ly, he unbuckled his belt. refastening
1t across the straps so as to hold IAN.
teen and haversack ~noiseless, n
then. revolver in hand, began creep
ing down under cover Of the low
banks. He must explore the path first
before attempting to bear her along
In his ar.as; must be sure the passage
was unguarded. After it swerved to
the right there would be little danger,
but while it ran straight. some eau.
tious savage might have chosen 1t to
skulk In. To deal with such he need.
ed to be alone, and free.
He must have crawled thus for thir
l ~ VaRd0 I'm md Enaoc aching hnrs
rihly. his .ces eve peering over the
edge OF TIE bank. his ears tingling to
the slightest noise. The tiny glow OF
the fire far away to the left was alone
visible in the intense blackness; the
wind brought to him no sound OF
movement. The stiffness was pro
found, almost uncanny; as he paused
and listened he could distinguish the
throb Of his heart. He was across
the trail at last, for he felt and traced
the ruts Of wheels, and where the
banks had been worked down almost
to q level with the prairie. He crossed
this opening like a snake, and then
arose to his knees beyond. where the
gully d~eepensd. He remained poised
motiunless, scarcely daring to breathe
Surely that was something else-thai
shapesess blotch of shadow. barely
topping the line of bank! Was 1t ter
feet away? Or ivef He could not
tell. He stared; there was no move
ment, and yet his eyes began to dis
Germ dimly the cutlines-the head ant
shoulders Of a man! The Sergeant
crept forward-an inch, two inches, I
foot. The figure did not stir. Nov
he was SURE the fellows head wa.
lying fat on the turf. oddly distorted
by q feathered wal bonnet. Tn
strange posture, the utter lack o
movement, seemed proof that tn
tired warrior had fallen asleep Of
watch. Like a cat Hamlin crept VI
slowly toward him, poised for a spring
? Some sense of the wild must hav'
stirred the savage into ~semi-conscious
ness. Suddenly he sat up. gripping tn
4 gun In his hands. Yet wen as hi
! opening eyes saw dimly the Sergeant
! menacing shadow, before he coul
:. scream his alarm, or spring upright
: the revolver butt struck with dul
thud. and he went tumbling backwar
n into the ditch, his cry Of alarm endin
in a hoarse croak. From somewhere
out Of the dense darkness In front
voice called, sharp and cultural. as
its owner had been startled by tn
mysterious sound of the blow. It wa
the language Of the A~rapahoes. an
out oil his vague memory OF tn
tongue, spurred to recollection by tn
swift emergency, Hamlin growled
hoarse answer, hanging breathlessl
above the m%otionless badly until tn
"ugh!" of the fellows response prove
him without suspicion. He waite
counting the seconds, every muscl
strained with expectancy, listening
He had a feeling that some one wa
crawling over the short grass. wi
Cling along like a snake, but the fail
sound, II sound it was, grew less di
tinct. Finally he lifted his head abo,
the edge of the bank, but saw not
ing, not even a dim shadow.
"They are closing in. l reckon"
thought soberly, land 1t isn't like
there will be any more Of these gent
as far back as this; looks as thous
this gully turned west Just beyon
ANYHOW I've got to risk it."
He returned more rapidly. KNOWN
the passage. yet with no less cautio
i. finding the unconscious girl lying G
actly as he had left her. AS he clasp
her form In his arms, her lips utter
I'M some incoherent words. but otherwi
is she gave no sign Of life.
he Eyes, yes" he whispered close
en- her ear, hoping thus to hold her silel
to at is all right now; only keep still
ril (TO BE CONTINUED)