The Julesburg grit-advocate., 1916-06-01
6leQ[DN MIST
AMf or CIVIL STpTI +.
&RANDAuL PARRISH "
ILLUSTRATIONS :l!:,!?! &-c:pp1oDt5


here"
We sat there for half an hour dis.
cussing the matter and endeavoring
to convince ourselves the danger was
less than We imagined. There vas
nothing to be done but wait for day.
light Finally Fox crept forth agaia
to make another round Of the pickets.
to assure himself they we're alert. and
before he returned had fallen asleep.
The chill Of the night awoke me,
cold and shivering. The wind had
arisen and swept down the funnel In
which lay with an icy breath against
which my single blanket afforded no
protection. The man Who had been
lying next me was gone. and 20 there
must have been . change of guard
while ! slept. could distinguish.
dimly outlined against the sky. the
overhanging rock-vall which inclosed
our camp. and the deeper shade Of .
cleft . yard or two to my left. where
the dead trunk OF tres stood IKE
. gaunt. ugly sentinel
A. I lay staring the figure OF Q man
slipped out from behind its protec-
ton and. dropping on hands and
knees. crept forward across the open
space. Another and another followed.
mere ghostlike shadows. scarcely sp-
pearing real For the instant { doubt
ed my eyesight imagined I dpeamed.
Then. before I could raise voics IN
alarm. . rine spat vtciously. the red
dame Of its discharge cieaving the
night. A fusillade followed and In the
fare I caught grotesqus glimpses Of
men leaping forward. and there was
4 confused yelling Of voices. . din Of
noise.
I was upon my knees. revolver In
hand. but In the melee below could
not distinguish friend from foe-aiiks
they we're blur Of figures. one in.
slant visible. the next obscured. Yet
there could be no doubt a. to the nnal
ending Of the struggle. Taken by sur.
prise. outnumbered. the little squad Of
troopers would be crushed. annihilat-
ed Nor was there reason Why I
should sacrifice myself in their defense
"A valueless sacrifice. My choice vas
instantly made. ~ there flashed to ny
mind what my fate would be II !
ever fell into Cowan's hands attired in
Federal uniform.
On hands and knees I crept to the
cleft In the rock wall and began to
Chamber up over the irregular rocks.
The shouts and yells. the cries for
mercy. the sound Of blows. grew faint.
er and finally ceased altogether. Lean.
ing back and looking down could per,
ceive nothing in the black void. A
voice shouted an order. but 1t sounded
far of and indistinct- was In .
narrow gully. the incline less steep
than amid the rocks below. and could
perceive the lighter canopy Of the sky
not far above me
AS ! crept out into the open space
someone touched a match to q pile Of
dry limbs in the cove below. and the
red flames leaped high. revealing the
scene. caught a glimpse Of IT.
staring down Is though clung at the
mouth Of hell. seeing moving black
figures. and the dark, motionless
shadows Of dead men. The one
glimpse was enough. the fearful
tragedy Of 1t shifting me like q blow,
and ] turned and ran, stumbling over
the rough ground. my only thought
that OF escape.
There were stars in the sky. their
dim light sufficient to yield some faint
guidance. My course led me close
beside the edge of the ridge Here
the ground fell away to the banks Of
q shallow stream and some instinct of
woodcraft led me to wade down with
its current for considerable distance,
until the icy water drove me to the
bank once more. knew had GOV.
cred several miles and was beyond pur.
suit and s;.fe from discovery re.
mained there until dawn. the first
gray light giving assurance that my
flight had been to the north along the
foothills. From the ridge top q wide
vista lay revealed Of rough. seeming.
ly uninhabited country. growing more
distinct as the light strengthened
There was no house visible. no sign Of
any road; all about extended a rude
mountain solitude. but to the north
west there was perceptibie break In
the chain of hills. as though pass led
! down into the concealed valley be-
yond. With this for guidance
plunged forward. eager to get out Of
that drear wilderness
1t was considerably after the noon
hour before came upon a dismal
shack Of logs in the midst Of a small
clearing. The light streaming In
through the open door revealed that It
was unoccupied Yet someone mad
been there. and not SO very long ago.
for there were scraps of food on one
Of the overturned boxes. Unappetiz.
ing as these appeared. sat down and
ate heartily. then got to my feet and.
closing the door securely behind me.
plowed through the tAngle Of weeds
back to the road.
just before sundown | emerged from
the narrow gap and looked down into