The evening world., 1915-02-15

you know. Raymond. have felt for
the last hour a. IL We we're riding Into
some trap. I don't believe thers has
ever been Federal detachment down
as far az this before. We're In old
Ned Cowan's country"
"ConfederateY" / asked, interested
at once by the name.
Heavens knows! 10 the best OF
my belief. the fellow doesn't give .
whoop for either side. He's just q
natural born devil. and this war gave
him a chance to get the nell out OF
his system. II half the stories told
about him are true he is . mend for
side n they Interfere; still. ! guess.
he. calls himself q Rsb."
And his toliowerst"
. "A motley crew Of mountain men
mostly, scattered all through here,
together with = bunch Of dSserters
and conscripts from both sides who
have naturally drifted to him. Mo-
body knows how big a band he has,
but It would take an army to run
them out OF these mountains. We
had orders to do it-but pinle! Ram
say came. down as far as Fayette
Court House with IA regiment or In
fantry, and a cavalry guard. and sent
out a nag OF truce asking the old
devil to come In and talk with him.
He actually did come; rode right up
to headquarters. with a dozen Of his
ragged followers, heard what Ram
say had TO say, and then simply told
the general to 20 to blsses. and rode
Ware you thers' Did you see the
men?"
mo. but the sergeant did; hs was
detailed at that time AZ headauar-
ters' orderly"
Yes" I said, determined on my
course, IT wns talking with Hayden
during the noon halt. He described
Cowan to me, and believe he 10 the
same man encountered at Hot
Springs, Captain Fox-the fellow Tay-
lor we are In pursuit Of
The captain stared into the black
night. silent for several minutes.
I've been suspecting the same thinR
for the last three hours" he admitted
at last slowly, "and that he hoped
we would follow him. The fellow
hasn't ridden fast. and has purposely
left a plain trail. More than that NJ
was expected along this road. and
there were relays OF horses waiting
THE man who killed Hsrwood wal
old Ned Cowan."
"But Hsrwood must have known
him" I protested.
"Of course he did; they were nstsh'
bors before the war. and met there
by appointment"
Then, before I could raise voice. q
rifle spat viciousiy, the red flame oi
its discharge cleaving the night. a
fusillade followed. and In the flare
caught grotesque gllmpses OF men
ieaping forward. and there was q
confused yelling OF voices. din OF
noise.
/ could not distinguish friend from
foe-alike they were blur OF figures
one instant visible, the nsxt obscurod
Yet there could be no doubt a. to the
final ending Of the struggle. Taken
by surprise, .outnumbered, the little
squad OF troopers would be crushed
annihilated. Nor was there reason
why I should sacrifice myself In their
defense a valueless sacrifice. My
choice was instantly made. a. there
flashed to my mind what my fate
would be IL ever fell into Cowan's
hands attired In Federal uniform. On
hands and knees crspt to y cleft In
the rock wall by the road. Below, the
noise Of fighting ceased. A voice
shouted an order. but II sounded far
gully. the incllnes less steep than
amid the rocks below. and could per.
ceive the lighter canopy OF the sky
not far above me.
There was no house visible. no sign
OF any road: all about extended q
rude mountain solitude. but to the
northwest there was perceptible
break In the chain Of hills. az though
q pass led down into the concealed
valley beyond. With this for guid.
ancs plunged forward. sagsr 70 gst
~. ySs e "ll:s : !.sS :ss'.s:S = a :ss.! soss