Mohave County miner and our mineral wealth., 1922-10-13
CHAPTER XVII

To Harry and Dave, Dane Grey's absence was merely a mystery-tO Erskine it brought foreboding and sckening fear. General Dale's wound having opened afresh, made travelling Impossible, and Harry had a slight bayOnet thrust in the shoulder. Frs kline determined to save them all the worry possible and to act now as the head of the family himself He an nOunced that he must go straight back at once to Kentucky and Cap tain Clark. Harry stOrmed unavail- ingly and General Dale pleaded with him to stay, but gave reluctant leave. To Dave he told his fears and Dave vehemently declared he, toO,\wOuld go along, but Erskine would not hear of it and set forth alone.
 Slowly enough he started, but with every mile suspicion and fear grew the faster and he quickened Firehy's pace. The distance to Williamsburg was soon covered. and skirting the town, he went on swiftly for Red Oaks. Suppose he were too late, but even if he were not too late, what should he do, what could he do? Fire. fly was sweeping into little hollow now, and above the beating of her hOofs in the sandy road, clink of metal reached his ears beyond the low hill ahead, and Erskine swerved aside into the bushes. Some one was of ball of the sun hanging over that hill sprang hOrseman at dead run black Ephraim.
 "StOp" Erskine cried, but the ne gro came laundering on, as though he meant to ride down anything in his way. Firefly swerved aside, and Ephraim shot by, pulling in with both hands and shouting: "MGrse Erskine Yassuh, yassuh! Thank Gawd yOu'se come" When he wheeled he came back at gallop--nor did he stop.
 Come on, Marse Erskine! !' he cried. "NO time to waste. Come on, suh!"
 With few leaps Firefy was abreast, and neck and neck they ran, while the darky's every word con firmed the instinct and reason that had led Erskine where he was.
 "Yassuh, Miss Barbary gwine to run away wid dat mean white man. Yassuh, dis very night"
 "When did he get here?"
 Dis mawnin'. He been pesterin' her an pleadin' wid her all day an she been cryin' her heart out, but nanny say she's gwine wid him. Pears like she can't hep herself"
 "Is he alone?"
 "No, suh, he got an ortlcer an four sojers wid him."
 How did they get away?"
 He say as how dey was on scout in party an 'scaped."
 Does he know that Cornwallis has surrendered?'
 "Oh, yassuh, he tOr Miss Barbary dat. Oats why he says he got to git away right now an she got to go wid him right now"
 Did he say anything about General Dale and Mir Harry?'
 ldSSuIl, It say uCS dll IlShl an dat dey an you will be hot on his tracks. Oats why nanny tol' me to ride like de debbil an hurry you on, suh. Dis afternoon" the negro went on, ''he went ovah to dat cabin tOl' you bout an got dat American uni form. He gwine to tell folks on de way dat dem udders is his prisoners an he takin' dem to Richmond. Den dey gwine to sep'rate an he an Miss Barbary gwine to git married some whur on de way an dey goin' on an sail fer England, fer he say if he git captured folks'll won't let him De prisoner O war-dey'll jes up an shoot him. An dat skeer Miss Bar bary mos to death an hep make her go wid him. Nanny heahd ever word dey Say.''
 Erskine's brain was working fast, but no plan would come. They would be six against him, but no matter--he urged Fireny on. The red ball from which Ephraim had leaped had gone down now. The chill autumn dark ness was settling, but the moon was rising full and glorious over tue black eXpanse of trees when the lights of Red Oaks first twinkled ahead.
 The negro turned from the road through gate, and Erskine heard the thud of his horses hO0fS across the meadow turf. He rode on slow ly, hitched Firefiy as close to the edge of the road as was safe, and crept to the edge of the garden, where he could peer through the hedge. The hall door was open and the hallway lighted: so was the dining room; and there were lights in Barbara's room. There were no noises not even of ami nal life. and no figures moving about or in the house. What could he do? One thing at least. no matter what happened to him--he could number Dane Grey's days and make this night his last on earth. It would probably be his own last night, too. Impa- tiently he crawled back to the edge of the road. More quickly than he eX. pected, he saw Ephraim's figure slip.