The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1915-11-12
CHAPTER v.
The Nicht Attack.

Inc incidents of that ride do not re-
main with me in any special clearness
Oh detail We rode steadily, keeping
Wen together, conscious that in all
probability we were watched by hos
Tile eyes, peering out from behind rock
ana thlcket. We foraged through de-
serted shacks. finding poor reward,
yet managed to subsist, although with
munger unsatisfied The men grum-
oieo and Fox swore, as. long before
night came, he comprehended the fact
mat we were on FOOLS errand; that
MS little squad was being lured deeper
and deeper into hostile country, but
no opportunity to turn aside present
ed ITSELF The night overlook us in
The midst of mountain solitude. The
scouts had discovered spring at the
bottom OF rocky hollow, and there
FOX reluctantly ordered camp to be
made, the horses finding scant pas
turage beyond. The grumbling and
cursing soon ceased, however, and
those not on duty slept fitfuIly. |
made the round of the sentries with
Fox, slipping and stumbling over the
rough way, through the darkness.
This weird place gets on the
nerves" he said, as if half ashamed OF
the confession. do you know. Ray.
mond, have felt for the last hour as
If we were riding into some trap" He
glanced nervously behind him. q
don't believe there has ever been a
Federal detachment down as far as
this before. We're in old Ned Cowan's
country"
Confederate | asked. interested
at once by the name.
Heaven knows! To the best of my
belief the fellow doesn't give a whooI
for either side He's just a natura
born devil and this war gave him {
chance to get the hell out of his sys
TEN. Still. guess. he calls himsel
a Reb."
And his followers?"
Mountain men mostly. togethe
with a bunch Of deserters and con
scripts from both sides. Nobod.
knows how big band he has, but |
would take an army to run them GU
of these mountains We had order
TO do it-but pif1e! Ramsay cam
down as far as Fayette Court Hous
with regiment of infantry, and
cavalry guard. and sent out a flag 0
truce asking the old devil to come Il
and talk with him. He actually di
come; rode right up to headquarters
with dozen OF his ragged follower:
heard what Ramsay had to say. an
then simply told the general to go t
hell. and rode of again"
Were you there? Did you see tn
menu"
mo, but the sergeant did; he wa
detailed at that time as headquarter!
orderly"
"Yes," l said. determined on m
course. Il was talking with Hayde
during the noon halt. He describe
Cowan to me, and / believe he is th
same man encountered at He
Springs, Captain Fox-the fellow Ia.
lor we are in pursuit of"
The captain stared into the blac
night. silent for several minutes.
for the last three hours" he admitte
at last slowly, land that he hoped "
would follow him The fellow hash
ridden fast, and has purposely left
plain trail. More than that he wa
expected along this road and theI
were relays of horses waiting, r
only changed once. but he was met
another party near that ruined mil
Ever since then have felt that "
were being watched by unseen eye
Did YOU observe the curl of smoke
our right just before dark-how
rose and fell in rings?
II saw the smoke. yes--a thin spira
but supposed it 10 be from the chin
ney of some mountain shack.
well. it was not. That was an on
side fire. and the smoke was smot
cred and then thrown up by blanket
That is their way of signaling ] te
Won lieutenant, this murder of Ha
wood is more than an army matter.
was either the elimination OF feu
done for personal revenge-or ell
the major had papers in his posse
sion bearing on the situation here TIL
could only be gained over his des
body The man who killed him WI
old Ned Cowan."
But Harwood must have kno"
him." | protested.
sof course he did; they were neig
bors before the war and met there
appointment For all know the N
jor may have had some confidenu
communication from the var depai
ment God knows what It was All
am sure about is that ! would give