The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1913-05-14

! Quickly Flung Up My Arm to Ward
or a Second Blow.
sired and In darkness, her form en-.
veloped In a cavalry cloak, her face
shrouded by the night AS to wheth-
er she was young or old had scarce
means OF knowing, saving only that
the tone of her voice and the graceful
manner Of her riding made me conf
dent that she had not lost the agility
OF youth. But beyond this vague i'm
preston ut was little more), and a
meeting gleam Of the starlight In her
eyes as she faced me In anger, l was
as totally unaware Of how she really
looked as though we had never met.
Her very name was unknown to me.
Who was this Major Brennan? Was
he father, brother or husband? and
was her name Brennan also? For
some reason this last possibility was
repugnant to me. Yet I knew not
why.
'You ride as though born to the sad.
die" I said pleasantly: and although
| spoke low, We were 80 close to-
gether that my voice carried distinctly
to her ears. I'VE have been suffi-
ciently conceited to suppose that to
be an accomplishment peculiar to our
Southern women"
II have been accustomed to ride
since childhood" she replied rather
shortly. and I was conscious OF a re-
straint In her manner far from pleas
ing. Yet ventured upon one more
effort at conversation.
rs Major Brennan an officer on
Sheridan's staff?"
II was not aware"-and I could not
mistake the accent Of vindictiveness
in her voice-"that prisoners were
obliged to converse against their
WILL"
"I ask your pardon. I am sure"
returned soberly. But my question
was not altogether an idle one. I
! hav" cs-aced to meet several Of
Genera SGsridap's staff and thought
poe bly, MaJor Brennan might have
oot4 Of neir number. Seeing that
80 ..Ust fssociate for q time, nat
aiy III 1t would prove please inter-
for both Of us II We might discover
some mutual tie"
There was no response.
The road We were following here
took a sudden trend downward, and
We could tell from the sharper ring
OF the hoofs. and the splitting Of tlinty
sparks beneath US, that we were
among rocks once more Then our
horses suddenly splashed into water,
and I held them up long enough to
drink. felt thirst strongly myself,
and slipping out Of the saddle filed
my canteen.
Would you care for a drink?"
asked, stemming the stream TO reach
her side, and holding the vessel with
In easy grasp Of her hand.
actually believe her first impulse
was to refuse haughtily this profYered
civility from an enemy of her coun.
try, but the deep sense OF need con.
quered her to accept the offering. An.
other hill followed, and then another,
and finally We swept swiftly down a
/ long slope densely bordered by trees
and with irregular piles OF rock up.
rearing ugly heads on either hand. l
caught swift glimpse of a rough
log house on tne rsnr. 50 Bet BACK
among trees that I half doubted it's
real existence. when-there was q
slip, the crunching of q stone, q long
stumble forward that fairly wrenched
my hand loose from the woman's rein.
and then. hopelessly struggling to re-
gain his feet, my horse went down
with crash, head under, and was
hurled heavily forward upon my face.
Craig, startled at the sudden crash be.
hind him. spurred back to loarn the
full extent Of my disaster. BY this
time had regained my feet.
I'm all right, think, sergeant" I
said hastily. but the sorrel has brok.
en- her neck"
He began to swear at our Ill luck,
but stopped him with a gesture he
knew. better than to ignore.
Enough OF that" commanded,
sternly. BAD fortune Is seldom bet.
tered by hard words. First OF all,
help me to drag this dead body out Of
sight"
On one side OF us the bank fell away
with such precipitancy that when We
once succeeded In dragging our load
to the edge, We experienced no din
Guilty in sending 1t crashing down.
ward. The body plunged through the
thick underbrush at the bottom OF the
oggre, where knew II would be com.
pletely hidden, even in the glare of
daylight from the spying eyes Of any
troopers riding hard upon our track
AS we rapidly worked on this disa-
greeable task, thought and planned !;
two horses and three riders-one of
these a woman In need Of protection
diapatph IN ha 1aliyarnd hr A.,