Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1915-12-23
CHAPTER v.
The Niuht Attack.

The Incidents Of that ride do not re-
main with me in any special clearness
OF detail. We rode steadily, keeping
Wen together conscious that In all
probability we were watched by hos
tile eyes, peering out from behind rock
and thicket. We foraged through de-
serted shacks, finding poor reward,
yet managed to subsist, although with
munger unsatisfied. The men grum-
Died and Fox swore, as. long before
night came. he comprehended the fact
that, we were on FOOLS errand; that
mis- 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 aspiring at the
bottom OF a 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 fitfully. |
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
II we were riding into some trap" He
glanced nervously behind him. 81
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
iat once by the name.
Heaven knows! To the best of nv
belief the fellow doesn't give a whoop
for either side. He's just a natural
born devil and this war gave him
chance to get the hell out of his sys-
TEN. Still, / guess, he calls himself
q Reb."
And his followers?"
Mountain men mostly, together
with bunch Of deserters and con-
scripts from both sides. Nobody
knows how big band he has, but 1t
would take an army to run them out
OF these mountains. We had orders
co do it-but piffle! Ramsay came
down as far as Fayette Court House
with regiment of infantry, and a
cavalry guard, and sent out a flag 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 Ramsay had to say. and
then simply told the general to go to
hell, and rode of again"
Were you there? Did you see the
men?"
mo, but the sergeant did; he was
detailed at that time as headquarters
orderly"
"Yes." said, determined on my
course. II was talking with Hayden
during the noon halt. He described
Cowan to me. and believe he is the
same man encountered at Hot
Springs, Captain Fox--the fellow Tay-
Tor we are In pursuit Of"
I Auo Cdptaiu ntaTcu iutO Tue UidCk
might. silent for several minutes.
i've been suspecting the same thing
for the last three hours" he admitted
at last slowly, land that he hoped we
would follow him. The fellow hasn't
ridden fast. and has purposely left
plain trail. More than that he was
expected along this road and there
were relays of horses waiting. He
only changed once, but he was met by
another party near that ruined mill.
Ever since then have felt that we
were being watched by unseen eyes.
Did you observe the curl Of smoke to
our right Just before dark-how 1t
nose and fell in rings?"
81 saw the smoke. yes--a thin spiral.
but supposed 1t to be from the Chin
ney of some mountain shack"
well, 1t was not. That was an out
side fire, and the smoke was smoth-
cred and then thrown up by blankets.
That Is their way of signaling ! tell
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