The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1916-10-17
CONTINUED from Saturday.
CHAPTER XIV.
Ruin and Piliase.

~ n all sides the region or wanton
q ruin and savage pillage was ex-
tending. From his hiding place
next day Jim saw a troop of
iancers ride TO farmhouse Some or
the men entered and came out, their
arms full of loot; others drove the in
habitants before them, others ran on
the cattle and sheep and killed the
chickens. Then. when everything was
taken. they burned house and barns
and rode away, leaving the homeless
family in little huddled group on the
hillside. All day parties of horsemen
galloped past in every direction: all
day great columns of smoke billowed
up to the sky from behind the hills
ahead and on both sides. After dark
Jim led his men on.
It was cold that night. and snow
storm had begun. 1t made conceal
ment easier for the fugitive soldiers
They passed little crossroads store
which had been looted and then burn
ed, but under the Goals there were
some boxes of crackers and meal
Women, with children, and old men
were picking over the hot ashes and
sharing their finds together. They
gave supper to the soldiers. jim asked
of the men only direction of the roads.
but he heard other things:
where's Mabel, Ed?'
Mabel Oh, heavensy'
"You mean they got herr"
"But she'll fool EN-. She
has poison with her. She'll kill herself
before
| For the thousandth time Jim read
and reread the letter which Mart had
| left with him when the boy was called
away for duty-the letter in Which
Agnes told that she was learning
army nursing and was coming east to
service as soon as she could Had she
come east already, and If she had
4 where was she? Might she be among
i the women captives in those lighted
| houses. surrounded by the regents
cavalrymen, where the enemy's Off
GERS drank and sang and reyele6
i while the American refugees stole 81
lently past In the dark. crouching low
over the snow?
i A cry-a weak little cry of child
came to him. Jim did not try to rise
he burrowed under the snow. wo
: man was lying there. She was frozen
There could be no doubt of that; but
J. bundled within her arms and wount
within a blanket was baby, VIII
cried weakly once more as Jim hfte'
the bundle. He got to his feet agail
and stumbled to house and entere'
the kitchen.
There was no one in the kitchel
, now. but the floor was wet and mud
!, died with the marks Of mems boots
| These marks alarmed Jim, and, layin
, the baby on the table as he heard
!, heavy step approaching, he drew hi
revolver and stepped behind pantr
door. A large man, in the uniform Q
the regents cavalry. strobe In unsteat
ily. He was flushed with liquor. hr
t he was clear headed enough to hay
t SUSPECTED that some one had entered
E Suddenly he dropped his chunk {
. meat and. crouching. started towar
q the pantry.
: Jim, waiting. shifted his revolve
to his left hand and drew his swor
with his right. He crouehed. too, an
as the man came around the end
q the door Jim lunged. His point caugl
ell flesh and went through it. There wa
h a horrible gasp. gurgle. but no otht
\ / sound The man. run through tt
! neck. fell without his finger contrac
ing so as to fire his revolver.
"Derrinr, q mans voice was callin
: obviously for the man whom Jim ia
Just killed "Derrin.''
. The man who called-he wore tf
S same uniform with the chevrons OF
S sergeant-was coming down the stair
: Jim aimed his revolver pitilessly al
: shot the sergeant through the hea
Tho man erumnlad and rolled down