The Julesburg grit-advocate., 1916-05-18
CHAPTER Ii-contlnue1.

It's sure hell In Green Briai these
days-somebody 10 gettin' kilt every
day er two The cusses travel 10
gangs murderin' an burnin' from one
end O the county to the other" He
spoke in an even. drawing voice, with
not the slightest show OF emotion. ~
though telling an ordinary bit Of
news: "D-d II know which outnt
10 the wus-the Yanks or the Rebs."
(which are you with"
who. met" He paused in his bolt
ing Of food. and gave vent to an un-
pleasant laugh. u rather reckon Il
would puzzle the Lord Almighty ter
hnd that out. ] don't give . whoop
fer neither of 'em. I'm fer ol' Jem
Taylor. an II keeps me toior'ble busy
tending ter his afiairs. without both
erin bout no government"
"Then your name 10 Taylor?"
r reckon It has been for bout sixty
years. Thar's . slew O. Taylors over
along Buffalo crick. an SOM Of 'ein
are Yanks. an q parcel Of 'em are
Rsbs, but they don't git Oh Jem ter
take nary side. Al that. I'm sittin' all
the hshtin' ! banker arter. Naturally.
I'm . peaceful critter. II tn cusses let
me alone"
"Quieted down some over there late
". hasn't III"
Huh! Thar's . regiment O blue
coats at Lewisburg. an few cavalry.
men ridln' ther pixies. Don't amount
far q h;fl ~ heoro a. 70. n, th,r h,y.
are concerned. All they got ter do 3
60 further back in the hills. an 20 =
bit more keerful. reckon. young
man. yen find plenty o. deviltry going
on In Green Briar. II ye ever git out
that away. Wal. thet's all thar is fer
ss ter eat. an I'm goin' ter take .
spooze."
He closed the door, fastening 1t Sc
curely with wooden bar. and
stretched himself out on the Aoor.
The room was dark. rs the only win.
dow was tightly boarded up. and using
my bundle for a pillow. lay down
also. In short time his heavy
breathing was evidence enough that
Taylor slept. Slowly my heavy eyes
closed. and l lost consciousness.
The sun was below the mountain
ridge when the heavy hand of the old
mountaineer shook me into sudden
wakefulness. With nothing left to
eat we we're not long in preparing for
departure. I endeavoring vainly to get
my silent companion to converse, be.
ing rewarded merely by grumbled and
evasive answers. Finally l desisted
In the attempt. content to follow his
lead. Taylor. astride his sorrel. with
gun resting grimly across his knees.
rode straight through the brush. away
from the pike. down the valley of Q
small stream. In crossing. the horses
drank their all.
How about the valley road?" I
asked ~ We climbed the opposite
hank.
The leader glanced back at me.
"This yere way is higher. an darn
sight NOR quiet" he answered grumy.
SOLDIERS been marching over the pike
all day. Mout be all right fer yer, Il
ysr've got . pass-but I amt got none
Well hev' good 'nough ridln' in bout
. mile NOR"
you are aiming for the cutoff"
Il be-yer do kno' sumthin' Of this
yere kintry. reckon. but yer've got
more eddication than eny Cowan I
ever hooked up with afore. Yer don't
talk none like mountin' folks"
] drew q quick breath, sensing the
return of suspicion.
That's true" I admitted readily
you see l went to school at Coving.
ton: they were going to make a
preacher out OF me-
Taylor stared into my face, his
vague suspicion seemingly gone.
well. III be d-d-a preacher"
He rode on into the dusk. chuckling.
and followed smiling to myself. glad
that the mans good humor had been
SO easily restored
We were fed at hut back in the
foothills. where an old couple. the man
lame. were glad enough to exchange
their poor food for the late news from
the army. In which they had a son
Then we rode steadily to the south,
When dawn came we we're to the west
OF Waynesboro in broken country, and
all through those long night hours
scarcely a wor1 had been exchanged
between US. We camped finally in the
bend Of small stream. where high
banks concealed US from observation.
There was little TO eat in our haver
SACKS. but we munched what we had,
and Taylor. his eyes on the horses,
broke the silence.
i reckon the critters don't need
more'n couple hours rest" he said
They amt been rid now,ys hard, an
I'm fer gittin' through the gap durin'
daylight-the road amt overly good
Just now"
Across the noun ntains. Ia there
gap here!"
"Ther road ter Hot Springs is bout
20 miles below yer. I cum over II