The Huttig news., 1915-11-20


 Ing; I'll want the story presently. put now I must look to my men. 'Tis no easy game we are playing"
 Let me understand that. lieuten- ant," l exclaimed. as he turned away. How does it happen you are hera and for what purpose?"
 "A wild plan of my own, aided and abetted by the commander at Coving- ton. We are of the garrison there," he explained briefly, his glance search ing out the dim interior. "The Yan- kees have forage train out as far as Hot Springs. I got permission for a dash to cut them of. We took the cutoff. and landed here about daylight. The train should have been along be- fore now, but there is no sign of it." You have been in hiding here all day. and seen nothing?"
 "Ohl we've seen enough" and he laughed. But nothing we cared to measure swords with. The road yon- der appears popular, but. by good luck. ao Yankee shows an eagerness to at- tend church. There was gang of mountain men along by here maybe wo hours ago who rode up to the ioor, and took look at the shebang Whether they were Tank or Reb didn't know. Anyhow. we were willing enough to see them pass on out O sight They looked and talked as though they were spelling for a fight"
 How msny?"
 | fr&y rf-L crowd. There were only two came up, and rode round the church-a big fel- tow with red beard. and a little wea- zel-faced fox he called Kelly"
 "Yes. know them; they were hunt ing after us. Did they go on east?"
 They did. so has everyone else we've seen today. That's what pug. zled us. as to just what might be up. reckon you must be some popular to create such furore. Why, an hour after sunup a whole blame com pany of bluecoats went by, riding ike mad, their horses dripping, and a young fellow spurring them on. He'd lost his hat, and they never so much as took a side look at this shebang. They were in some hurry. my friend"
 And neither party has returned?"
 "Not a sign Of them"
 What force have you here?"
 "Twenty-eight enlisted men,"
 "You have pickets out?"
 "One man each way. mile down the road, concealed. The tower up there commands the country in both directions"
 And your horses?"
 Hidden In the grove yonder." I grasped the situation clearly enough. and also comprehended the , reckless nonchalance of the officer. What was his purpose-his present plan? It appeared to me that the conditions warranted retreat, back along the unfrequented mountain trail by which this daring party of adven- : turers had come. The troops, as we'll :. as the guerrillas. must have discoy. cred by this time that we were not in advance of them. They would return searching every nook and corner tn hope of discovering our hiding place. They might even unite their forces. tmpelled as they were by the same de- sire. and thus become truly formidable. Personal hatred of me and the wish to regain possession of Noreen. would animate and control both Anse Cowan and the angry. humiliated lieutenant While neither would likely confess his purpose to. the other, yet their mutual interests would naturally suggest an l aII{QnNo nn fond between the two which would neces- sarily prevent their cooperation. 1n- deed, the troopers would gladly well come any excuse which would bring Cowan's gang of outlaws into closer connection. And the outfit would never pass by this church again with out searching it's interior. Only ea- gerness, haste to overtake us in our attempted flight, had led to their blind riding by before. turned to liar wood, who was whispering nonsense to Noreen.
 What do you mean to do, lieuten- ant?" I asked quietly. but with my own mind made up. Remain here?"
 He stroked his small mustache.
 T thought we might hang on until midnight, Wyatt. and then. if nothing happened. take the back trail. don't want to pass another day in this cussed hole. What do you think?"
 That the sooner We get away the better" I answered promptly. Your position here is far more dangerous than you appear to realize. Both those parties travelling east were in search after us; they were led by men who would go to any extreme to effect our capture. I haven't time to tell you the whole story now. but it involves your cousin as we'll as myself. They rode straight on because they were convinced we were still ahead of them. 'Tis likely they know better now, and will search every ravine and covert on their return. If the forage train Is moving this way those cavslrymen are with 1t in addition to the regular guard and you will never dare attack