Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1916-01-13

Ing rewarded merely by grumbled and
evasive answers. Finally 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
small stream. In crossing, the horses
drank their fill.
How about the valley road?" 1
asked as we climbed the opposite
bank
The leader glanced back at me.
This yere way is higher, an darn
sight NOR quiet" he answered grufay.
Soldiers been marching over the pike
all day. Mout be all right fer yer, II
yer've got pass-but amt got none.
Well hev' good 'nough ridin' 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 dedication than eny Cowan
ever hooked up with afore. Yer don't
talk none like mountin' folks"
drew quick breath, sensing the
return of suspicion.
That's true" l admitted readily.
you see went to school at Coving.
ton; they were going to make
preacher out of me-
Taylor stared into my face, his
vague suspicion seemingly gone.
Well, I'll be d--d-a preacher" ;,
Ia ,Ip s,,Ao i.
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 son.
Then we rode steadily to the south.
When dawn came we were to the west
of Waynesboro, in broken country, and
all through those long night hours
scarcely word 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.
Il reckon the critters don't need
more'n couple hours rest" he said.
They amt been rid noways hard, an
I'm fer gittin' through the gap durin'
daylight-the road amt overly good
just now
Across the mountains? Is there
gap here?"
"Ther road ter Hot Springs is bout
two miles below yer. cum over it
ten days ago an reckon kin find
my way back. It's bout forty miles
frum thar ter Lewisburg, mostly hills,
but good trail. know folks ct Hot
Springs who will take good keer o. us.
onct we git thar"
We rested, doing, but neither sound
asleep, for nearly three hours. What
ever might be in Taylor's mind, the
lonely night had brought to me new
thought relative to my companion.
The fellow was evasive, and once he
had. frankly lied in seeking to explain
his presence In the valley, and the rea-
son for his secrecy of movement. BY
now We were decidedly at cross-pur-
poses, each vigilantly watching the
, other-Taylor in doubt as to what the
bundle contained, which never per.
mitted out of my grasp, and myself as
deeply interested in gaining possess
sion Of a packet OF papers, glimpse
Of which l had caught in an inside
pocket of the mountaineer's coat. His
mission, whatever 1t might be, was Sc
cret and dangerous OF this his cease.
less vigilance was proof.
The light of dying day still chung
to the western sky when our wearied
horses bore us into the village of Hot
Springs. 1t was like deserted ham,
let, few houses appearing inhabited,
and the shop windows boarded up.
Taylor. glancing neither to right or
left, rode straight down the main
street, and turned onto pike road,
leading to the left. A mile beyond, q
frame house. painted white, barely WIS.,
! ible through the deepening dusk,
stood In a grove OF oaks. The noun
taineer turned up the broad driveway,
and dismounted before the closed
door. Almost at the same moment
the portal opened slightly and black
face peered out.