The Huttig news., 1915-09-18

my silent companion to converse, be- ing rewarded merely by grumbled and evasive answers. Finally l desisted in the attempt. content to follow his lead. Taylor, astride his sorrel. with gun resting grimly across his knees, rode straight through the brush, away from the pike. down the valley of a small stream. In crossing, the horses drank their fill.
 How about the valley road?" I asked as we climbed the opposite bank.
 The leader glanced back at me.
 This yere way is higher, an darn sight nor quiet," he answered gruffiy. Soldiers been marching over the pike all day. Mout be all right fer yer, if We'll hey' good 'nough ridin in bout mile mor'.'
 You are aiming for the cut-off?"
 T be-yer do kno' sumthin' of this yere kintry, I reckon, but yer've got more eddication than eny Cowan l | talk none like mountin' folks
 drew quick breath. sensing tho return of suspicion
 That's true," I admitted readily You see I went to school at Coving ton; they were going to make 8 preacher out of me-"
 Taylor stared into my face, his vague suspicion seemingly gone.
 Well, I'll be d--d-a preacher"
 He rode on into the dusk, chuckling and l followed, smiling to myself, glad that the mans good humor had been so easily restored.
 We were fed at hut back in the foothills, where an old couple, the man lame, were glad enough to exchange their poor food for the late news from the army, in which they had son. Then we rode steadily to the south. When dawn came we were to the west of Waynesboro, in broken country and all through those long night hours scarcely word had been exchanged between us. We camped finally in the bend of small stream, where high banks concealed us from observation There was little to eat in our haver. sacks, but we munched what we had, and Taylor, his eyes on the horses. broke the silence
 T reckon the critters don't need more'n couple hours rest" he said. They aint been rid noways hard, an Pm fer gittin through the gap durin' daylight--the road ain't overly good just now"
 Across the mountains? Is there gap here?"
 ''Ther road ter Hot Springs Is bout two miles below yer. I cum over it ten days ago an 1 reckon I kin find my way back. It's bout forty miles frum thar ter Lewisburg, mostly hills, but good trail l know folks ct Hot Springs who will take good keer O us onct we git thar"
 We rested, dozing but neither sound asleep, for nearly three hours. What ever might be in Taylor's mind, the lonely night had brought to me new thought relative to my companion The fellow was evasive and once h, had frankly lied in seeking to expiafl his presence in the valley, and the req 1 son for his secrecy of movement. B. now we were decidedly at cross-pur poses, each vigilantly watching tht other-Taylor in doubt as to what the bundle contained, which I never per mitted out of my grasp, and myself ai deeply interested in gaining posses sion of packet of papers. glimpse of which I had caught In an inside pocket of the mountaineer's coat. His mission, whatever it might be, was SC cret and dangerous. Of this his cease less vigilance was proof.
 The light of dying day still clune to the western sky when our wearied horses bore us into the village of Hot Springs. It was like deserted ham let, few houses appearing inhabited and the shop windows boarded up Taylor, glancing neither to right or left, rode straight down the main street, and turned onto pike road leading to the left. A mile beyond, a frame house. painted white, barely wis ible through the deepening dusk stood in grove of oaks The noun taineer turned up the broad driveway and dismounted before the closed l door. Almost at the same moment the portal opened slightly and blacl face peered out.