The evening world., 1915-02-19

MOOD. IL am his WIFE,.
He is a Confederate soldier. thenf"
EYES,"
And you. cousin7"
II am his wife,"
II accept you on faith, comrade,"
said HARDWOOD. pleasantly. but there
In a spare gray jacket strapped to my
saddle yonder more becoming than
e. that blue coat Here, Stone" with q
glance over his shoulder and a crisp.
ness TO his voice, get the extra blouse
from of my horse and bring It. here;
run low. lad. and keep in the shadow"
Let me understand. Lieutenant" I
exclaimed. How does It happen you
are here. 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 searching
have q forage train out as far as Hot
Springs. under small guard. IT'S the
furthest east they have ever ventured,
and our scouts brought the news. To
the mind came the brilliant thought Of
cutting them of on their return
march, and I got permission for the
dash. We took the CUTOFF, and landed
here about daylight. The train should
have been along before now. but there
Is no sign of It."
You have been in hiding here all
day. and seen nothing?'
"Oh! we've seen enough" and No
laughed. But nothing we cared to
measure swords with. The road yon-
der appears popular. but. by good
luck. no Yankee shows an eagerness
to attend church. There was q gang
of mountain men along by here maybe
two hours ago who rode up to the
door. and took look at the shebanx.
Whether they we're Yank or Rob
didn't know. Anyhow we were will
ing enough to see them pass on out o.
sight. They looked and talked as
though they were spelling for .
fight"
How many?"
Thirty or forty--a right smart
crowd. There was only two come
up, and rode round the church,
big fellow with a red beard. and
little weasened-faced fox he called
Kelly"
"Yes. know them: they were
hunting after US. Did they 10 on
"They did. So has every one else
we've seen to-day. That's what
pushed US. a. to Just what might
be up. I reckon you must DO some
popular to create such q Juror. Why.
An hour after sun up a whole blame
company Of blue-coats went by, rid
ing like mad. their horses dripping.
and young fellow squirting thom
on. He'd lost his hat. and they never
no much AZ took side-look at this
shehang. They were IN some hurry.
my friend"
And neither party has returnedf"
mot a sign Of them"
"Twenty-eight enlisted men."
You have pickets out7"
"One man each way, q mile down
tho road, concealed. The tower up
there commands the country in both
directions"
"And your horses1"
Hidden In the grove yonder."
what do you mean to do. Lieu
tenant7 l asked quietly. but with
my own mind made up. 'Temain
here7"
He stroked his small mustache.
II thought we might hang on until
midnight, Wyatt. and then. II nothing
happened. take the back trail. !
don't want to pass another day In
this cussed hole. What do you
thinkY"
THAT the sooner we get away the
better" ! answered promptly.
"You think they will combinef"
III they meet. and there 10 an ex-
piantation-yes."
The sound Of alshot interrupted me.
Then came another,
1t was the sound OF a scattered
volley. the pieces not all Of the same
calibre. the reports ringing clear, In
the instant OF silence which followed.
q voice called down excitediy from
the tower:
There 10 firing TO the east. sir"
How far away, Somers7" II was
the sergeant who spoke.
'Bopt . Qu4rtsr OF . mile. ] reckon;