Activate Javascript or update your browser for the full Digital Library experience.
Previous Page
–
Next Page
OCR
ER NAN INN A ean
CAVALRY CURT. 3
A few shots were fired, , but none seemed
to take effect,
As their yells of rage rang on the air,
the fugitive disappeared down the valley.
“That's: a ‘pretty go!” muttered the
leader of the discomfitted gang. ‘I should
rather have lost'my right arm than that
he should have escaped.”
“Did ‘you recognize him, captain?”
_ asked a tall, flaxened- hair soldier.
“He is Cavalr y Curt.”
‘Not Phil Kearney’s scout?”
‘*Thesame. I heard at headquarters
“yesterday that he was in {these regions.
His presence : means «us “mischief.”
“And his eseape something worse”.
‘* But he must not escape.”
‘* Quick, into the saddle.
low him.” .°-
Three of the party were injured so that
We must fol-
they could not join in the pursuit, and
were forced to ‘remain behind:
The others vaulted into the saddle and
a few minutes later were: following as
rapidly asthe country would: permit on
_ the trail of the fugitive.
He had only a slight start of them and
they felt confident of’ quickly overtaking
and eapturing him.
In ‘the very heart..of the enemy’s
country his escape indeed seemed impos-
. Bible.
| | ein us
_ THE FUGITIVE SCOUT.
‘Look, Mara! Do my old eyes deceive
me, oris ‘that a horseman?”
** Where, grandpa?”
‘“ Crossing the ridge: yonder. "
They presented. a striking picture—
‘one bowed beneath the weight: of four-
score years, his countenance shrunken
and wrinkled, his long, thin lock glisten- .
“ing ‘in the: sunlight: ‘with the frosts of
hood, fair as a. poet’s ‘dream, with hair.
time; the other just budding into woman-
- that vied with the gold of the sun and
_ eyes of a heavenly blue.
She was leaning gently.on the. arm of
her aged companion as they stood in the
. doorway of their southern home, gazing
upon ‘the surrounding landscape, until
his eye had‘caught sight of an objectin
the distance which had startled the fore-
going dialogue.
“T see him, grandpa!” she exclaimed,
as her. gaze followed the direction he
pointed out.
‘*Heseems to be coming this way, Mara.
Who can it be?” —
' “T cannot’ tell, grandpa. : Oh, in these
terrible times I tremble lest every comer
be a foe.”
“Nay, child; I think we have nothing
to fear. Ah, he heads more ‘tothe south.
He is :not coming here.”
The maiden drew-'a breath. of relief,
and as thestrauge rider disappeared from
sight a minute later, she said:
“Heis gone. Iam so glad, too. Bat,
‘grandpa, have you forgosten that ‘you
‘were to go to Hammond's forme? You
willhave to start at once; while I shall
have to look after my:work.”
“Yes, yes, Mara, my child. But hark!
Dinah is ealling for you now, I never
saw such a troublesome nigger.’
With the words he went into the house,
leaving her still standing in the door-
way.
She was about to follow: her grand-
parent, when a moving object jn ‘the dis-
tance caught hergaze.
Tt looked like’a man moving at the top
of his speed.
“Who-ean it be? she said, speaking
aloud. ‘He is coming this way, too.”
Not:a little surprised and anxious she
continued to watch and wait.
“Tt aust be the horseman grandpa
and I saw on the ridge,” she mused.
“And he is certainly coming here. I
suppose I ought to rouse the folks, but
little good that will do. Poor old zrand-
pa is our only protection.”
The approach of the stranger w as no
longer a matter of doubt.
“In ‘a few minutes he jas within plain
view.
The maiden saw that he was young—
not more than twenty-one ortwenty-two.
He was handsome, too. ‘Quite tall, broad-
shouldered and with a countenance: that
Apollg.might have envied. — -
But there was a haggard look upon his
face, and he carried his left arm in a
sling. His step, too, seemed uneasy and
she saw that he had’ gone: about as far as
nature would permit him.
“A northern man—an accursed Yankee!”
she exclaimed under her breath, some-
what fiercely. :
No one else had appeared in sight as
far as:‘she could see.
‘*Help, fair lady!” cried the wounded
stranger, when he had come within a
short distance. ‘I can go no further!”
She quickly sprang to ‘his side and
kindly lent her aid to his falling strength.
With her assistance ‘he reached the
doorway, where he sank upon the thresh-
old ale and faint,
et me get you no glass of wine, ” she
said, disappearing into'the house. - °-
Gone bat a minute, ‘she placed the
cordial to his lips, when he drank astrong
draught.
Revived by its potent power he started
up to look wildly around,
“Do you see them?” heasked, huskily.