Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1914-02-04

had leaped through the window, glass
and all, and was on the porch. From
here, as two bullets sped after him, he
leaped down upon the back OF a horse
that was being held by a soldier.
Striking the animal with the butt of
his revolver, he went careering off
through the darkness like a rocket.
From the men on the drive, from
men on the porch, came a rain OF bull
lets; and Holton. who had learned a
trick or two In the way of horseman-
ship, slipped down along the animals
body, shielding himself almost COM
pletely. But the horse was exposed,
and whining bullet pierced the steed
to the heart. He suddenly plunged for
ward. throwing Holton to the ground.
then rolled over and was still.
Holton landed on his knees, and, al
though Jared, was not stunned He
scrambled along desperately, regain
ing his feet, and struck out for the
woods, about a hundred feet away.
He toiled on for two hours, distanc-
ing all sounds of pursuit, and then
flung himself on the wet ground like
a tired animal and fell at once into n
deep sleep. When he awoke the sun
was shining through the trees.
But it was not this that had reused
him. 1t was the roaring of field ord
nance and the racketing of small arms
Evidently they were at it again. His
one thought was that this was the End
Of July, and that on the morrow the
Spanish warships meant to dash out
Of the harhnT and nt nt
His feet must be warned. That was
what he was there for, and this, from
now on, must be the single aim of his
life, the one thought in his mind, the
supreme struggle OF his body
By constant concentration upon the
object of his mission, he brought his
mental condition into a sort OF hys-
terra. The heat too, had got into his
brain. AS he stumbled over q log he
would sob or curse, and once, when
he tripped and was thrown fiat, he lay
for second, weeping like a child.
So he went on until once, upon
climbing a tree to ascertain his posi-
ton, he looked down upon the upper
waters of the harbor. He was on the
hills to the right, and another hours
Journey would bring him within sig
nal of his fleet
He struggled feebly, and then lay
back with the realization that, great
as was the exigency, he was not able
to meet 1t. A sort OF stupor, partly
hunger, partly fatigue, stole over him,
and he closed his eyes.
1t was night when be opened them
again, starlit night. At first he could
not recall where he was. Then he re-
membered, and with a start remem-
bered why he was there.
He sat up and with difficulty got on
his feet. Then he walked. He did not
know he was walking; he had no con
sciousness OF moving. and no sense of
direction; but his subconscious pow
ers were leading him right A breath
Of pure salt air blew on his face. He
turned toward line of brush and
parted it, and there, below him, lay
the Spanish feet, their lights, reflect
ed in the velvet waters, twiukling and
winking. He heard the chug- chug OF a
steam launch, and several times the
murmur Of a voice rose to his ears.
Farther down, in the moonlight, he
sons Merrimac. Ships bells struck
as he looked, and the sound hoated
sweetly TO the hilltops
He turned his face seward and
walked along. partially revivided by
his rest. At length sense of open
ness came upon him. the sensation OF
a vast void I'm front of him lie
paused. and then stole noiselessly on.
ward, until at last passing through
q growth Of manigut. the wide OK.
panse OF the Caribbean lay before
him
Here he flung himself on the ground
and waited for morning. His limbs
were aching with almost unbcarable
pain IIis eyes burned with fever. his
head throbbed. And yet all these
things DE regarded lightly. for the
Caribbean was i'm front of him. and the
American fleet would receive his warn.
Ing az soon as God brought the dawn