The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1916-01-21

here"
We sat there for half an hour dis
cussing the matter and endeavorin,
to convince ourselves the danger wa
less than we imagined There wal
nothing to be done but wait for day
light Finally Fox crept forth agaiI
to make another round of the pickets
to assure himself they were alert, ant
before he returned had fallen asleep
The chill of the night awoke me
cold and shivering. The wind hac
arisen and swept down the funnel II
which lay with an icy breath against
which my single blanket afforded nc
protection. The man who had beer
lying next me was gone. and SO there
must have been change Of guard
while / slept. l could distinguish
dimly outlined against the sky, the
| overhanging rockwell which fnclosed
our camp, and the deeper shade of q
cleft yard or two to my left, where
the dead trunk of a tree stood like
gaunt. ugly sentinel
AS | lay staring the figure of 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 ap-
pearing real. For the instant | doubt
ed my eyesight. imagined I dreamed.
Then, before I could raise voice in
alarm, rife spat viciously. the red
flame of its discharge cleaving the
night. A fusillade followed and in the
flare I caught grotesque glimpses of
men leaping forward, and there was
confused yelling of voices, a din of
noise.
! was upon my knees, revolver in
hand. but in the melee below could
not distinguish friend from toe-alike
they were a blur of figures. one in.
slant visible. the next obscured. Yet
there could be no doubt as to the final
ending OF the struggle. Taken by sur
prise. outnumbered. the little squad of
troopers would be crushed. annihilat-
ed Nor was there reason why 1
should sacrifice myself in their defense
"a valueless sacrifice My choice was
instantly made, as there flashed to my
mind what my fate would be IL ]
ever fell into Cowan's hands attired In
Federal uniform. ~F=7~-s---7s--
On hands and knees / 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 it sounded
far off and indistinct l 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 match to a pile of
Try limbs in the cove below, and the
led flames leaped high. revealing the
,cene. ! caught glimpse of 1T
staring down as though ! chung at the |
mouth of hell. seeing moving black |
igures, and the dark, motionless |
shadows of dead men The one
glimpse was enough. the fearful |
ragedy Of 1t shifting me like a blow,
md turnAd and ran, stumbling over
he rough ground. my only thought |
hat OF escape.
There were stars in the sky, their
i'm light sufficient to yield some faint
Guidance. My course Led me close
eside the edge of the ridge Here
be ground fell away to the banks of
shallow stream and some instinct of
yoodcraft led me to wade down with
Is current for considerable distance.
ntil the icy water drove me to the
ank once, more. knew | had Gov
red several miles and was beyond pur-
nit and SITE from discovery re-
lained there until dawn, the first
ray light giving assurance that my
light had been to the north along the
,othills. From the ridge top q wide
ista lay revealed Of rough. seeming
: uninhabited country. growing more
lstinct as the light strengthened
here was no house visible. no sign OF ]
ny road; all about extended q rude
solitude, but to the north {
est there was a perceptible break in
e chain of hills. as though pass led '
,wn into the concealed valley be- {
md. With this for guidance
unged forward. eager to get out of {
at drear wilderness
1t was considerably after the noon c
'ur before ! came upon a dismal a
ack of logs in the midst of a small O
caring. The light streaming In p
rough the open door revealed that 1t v
- unoccupied Yet someone had a
en- there, and not so very long ago. &
r there were scraps OF food on one n
the overturned boxes Unappetiz-
as these appeared. sat down and
heartily. then got to my feet and, 9
'sing the door securely behind me- b
'wed through the tangle OF weeds G,
OK to the road. a,
Just before shutdown ! emerged from Of
, narrow gap and looked down into g,
, broad valley of the Green Briar. 4
was . scene to finger in the mem r.
!. and 1t my frst glance knew al
are was. recognizing the familiar 1t
|ects outspread before me Lewis th
e lay beyond spur Of hills. tnvts "a