The evening world. Newspaper, February 15, 1915, Page 15

; : The Eventae World Daily Magazin i\Phone Toll to Brooklyn! 224.2, By Robert Minor! The Explotte of an Adventurer Who : wried—and Then FellinLove ~ BY RANDALL PARRISH. | (Oerrieea, 2. 0, Matter & On, 1884), CHAPTER I. gent me into the Green Briar district to ‘thé Unfon forces and guerilla bands thera And I "eB it was epy work—to change my identity mame “Raymond” was suggested by the fact that a hat name was soon to be stationed in that » aes mountals ase “W) aid we could no him my hame as Cowen; choosing mountains. byt twenty-four, and the excitement of the expedition moustains on my who called himself way to Green Brier I fell ylor and who went with tae easily secure a night's lodging. Cd lom & cognomen frequently when we reached the house to which Taylor had guided me, Rte 84 the foot of the atepe, a that four samt he asked a ne- back i who out of the house. 4 are, Pht don't just make out “ ‘men am, sah. Mi » mind thet now. Is i Miater Harwood, yere' insensibly Lag} urely not Major of, Lewisburg, my, father's friend! was it f had hi him a few months ago? tee oF that he was'on the Union General Ramsay's staff? And the —Noreen—whatevér bad te in my war's ow! peer fer to recollect no geehniame, sab,” replied the negro, scratching his wool thoughtfully. “I dene) reckon as how you got the Pred ‘on not,” said the other "long in’ an’ tell him Jem de tone ed wid: The door opened wider. “sual now you now, sah. Just "tong in, the both of yer. rigtt:. "1 Ly them horses. You'll fin’ Maapa, ‘Merwood in the dinin’ room, ; od the mountaineer up the fai) ha’ into the hall, utterly in- as to whether my company y ‘or’ not. "A ddor stand- fee open revealed what must have »parior, a esemingly large ee Foner art hatr-cloth chairs and wi visible. But 2 gm beyond, and Taylor, evidently Riainted “with the : jouse, walked , around the bulge of oth ‘ 1 ot iitamined i} d masterful. nee pes aibiligy. that T ochbere 'Yot ahrely there was Ab rea rel ollection in the eyes rary Saas e—and why should fitt a. ad when srosatcnin the salute due to an officer 302 Sh! eae Brewed | in one voice, val weg ee teabeottll, “the Bixty- 3}. there was a company of 8 from Covington way in your cap- \ se ' « 7 ; on thirty days’ furlough.” a 1 So ‘old Jack’ thinks he of time, and can let part ‘go home, docs ho? Well, hie business, of course. How 4 Wappen you wear artillery uni- a the question, I answered ingly. inet #6 many gunners, some tallied to help, Recruits mow." ur battery?” rae Artillery, sir.” tiened ?” reo Royal—that was our win- tapping <Xou this man, Taylor?” "t exantl thet ft ust ing, 7) i over night, Cowan? ‘a ba Indio got one, but, my ut used up. The roade hand, and we have travel- ia This ‘house: he come. is house,” he ane 7 ioeipa to a friend of had to leave the country— tor hie neighbors. I find conyenient at times. ere ‘wan in the Federal 0 ‘unffo! this was ¥ it rather rasher of bacon hough he ‘myust be also a fact that lool some mynelt, doubt, ‘alt! rm,’ané if th! a. revenge the death of th ® small lamp in his hand, led the stairs, My ward glance th: open door revealed the two cory! just as except that Harwood was leaning allgntiy forward across the table, and speaking earnestly. A Moment later I was left alone in a small bedroom at the end of the up- Way up the broad I per hall. 1t occurred to me now with new clearness of vision that bad Some special object in his friendliness, was a Union spy his natural ld have been to travel be a, the fellow had al- on my com: indeed, thi taclturn, allent mouneeig’ eer had even endeavored to simulate genlality to the end. But for what possible reason? Suspicion no doubt of my real purpose—a vague question- ing of my identity, the truth of the story I had told. One thing was cer- tain—I must break away from these , Or face exposure. I extinguished the light, and looked out of the window. It was quite a drop, though not necessarily a dab- gerous one, to the ground, Those of buildings were ably the stabi I would find my horse. But I desired to learn first what these two men were .actually up to. Such information might prove more important than my investiga- tions in Green Briar. I stole across to the door-and opened it '‘nolselessly, Surprised to lacover it had been left silence continued, and I began pence cova the carpeted the side wall, Lite by little I was ble to peer in through the open door—the aire were vacant; there was he ‘The gleam of the lamp Tovesies & deserted room, the table till littered with dishes. What had become then gf Harwood and Taylor? Coyla they nave: gene-to bed ‘siren “had ‘they ‘veritured forth together on Gr were, they altting beer e) @arkened parlor? T! tion was por assured th: night? lg last suppoai- ible, and I must be fully remained in before I sought to trait then without. I crept. to the balf-closed door, and, endeavored to gain impse within. The room was bi; and silent, although I could perce! Leal} the outlines of furniture, Nothing appeared strange, except that ti chair nearest the door had been over- turned. Burely every artiole of furni- ture stood straight and stiff enough, when I glanced that way before, on first entrance. thing—some vague sense of a Saacer, LK gid @. ‘ange choking in the thro. and reached for the revolver at my belt. It was not there; the leather holder was empty. My first sensation I stepped within, clrcled the overturned chair, and a groping foot encountered something vying. on the floor, I bent down, and touched it with my hand; it was the body of a man, The whole truth ca to me in a flash—there had been a quarrel, a murder, unpremedi- tated probably, and the assassin bad eaped. But which of the two was the vic- tim? An instant I stood there, star- ing about in the dark, bewildered and uncertain. Then I grasped the lamp from the table in the other room, and returned holding the light in my hands. The fo of Major Harwood lay extended on the floor, lifeless, his skull crushed by an pay blow. Beside him lay a révolver, its butt blood-stained. Beyond doubt this was the weapon which had killed. I picked it up wonderingly—it was my own, HE truth in all its ugliness | came to me then In sudden premeditated quarrel be- tween the two men. Harwood's on mé@, while the murderer esceped, This was why Taylor had insisted on CHAPTER Il. Into the Enemies’ Hands. revealment. This was no accident, no result of un- death had been deliberately planned, and the effort made to cast suspicion our travelling together #o long. But why had Harwood been mur- dered? What purpose did his violent my death serve? Who was Taylor? And whet bad brought him all that dis- tance to do a deed like this? Aad what had become of the negro? questions flashed through my mind aa 1 stood there, lamp ir one hand and revolver in the other, starl down at the dead face. firat feeling of dazed bewilderment changed into anger, and a desire to man who had once been my father’s friend, | cared nothing at that moment for the uniform the major had worn, that wi Were opposed to each other in arms; I recalled merely the genial nature of the man, his acts of former friendship and bis motherless daughter. Out of the mist floated the face of the girl, the girl who had waved to me in the road, The vision brought back to me coolness and determination, I wiped off the blood stains from the revolver carpet and alipped the weapon wood on the back into my belt, assuring myself first that it remained the pockets of ry had that the object of this 77 Fe age obs \o tak beyond im the 1 Dilla untouched, but not a of Paper. On the floor, parti: ye unaddressed, Conca f open. It was some document, then, that the muderer sought. This once @ttained, his purpose had been ac- Complished, and he hed fled with it In his possession. What paper could Justify sych a crime? The negro— pe s the negro knew. Intent now on my one discovery, my mind active I returned the lamp to the dining room table, and revolver still in hand began @ rapid search of the house. purpose of id ale: y The front door was fastened and bar- red, proving Taylor had not left that way. There was but one other room had made no effort to complete his work; but its outer door stood un- latched, The poroh without was dark and deserted, yet through here, un- doubtedly, the murderer had fy ing the stable and a horse. But Whi had become of the negro? Was he victim, or accomplice? I got my bundle, found my horse and hurried away, Well I knew I would be suspected of the crime were I caught near the house, This would be Federal territory; or if not, already, my night's ride would bring me well within their lines before dawn. My pass, my Confederate uniform, would only serve ‘to increase the peril of posaib! capture. I slipped instantly out of the aolled quit of gray, and donned the immaculate blue, buckling the belt about my waist, and securely hooking the saber. Then I scooped out the hole in the soft dirt, and buried ¢ ld uniform, tearing my pass into ehrede, scattering the frag ments broadcast. Then I rode on. I must 'e loped along thus for ten minutes, all thought of pursult al- ready dismissed, and my mind oc- cupied with plans for the future, when the woods suddenly ended in a bare ridge, the ribbon of road re- vealing itself under the soft glow of the stars. 1 know not why heard no sound of warning, but at the Instant a half in shadows loomed up, blocking the path, barely had tine to rein in my horse before we were intermingled, the surprise evidently mutual, althot one of the newcomers qnouah to seize my animal's bit, and hold him plunging in fright. I olu: to the stirrups, aware of the fla of @ weapon in my face, and an oath tered in @ gruff voice, you come from? Here, Snow, eee what this fellow looke Mike The speaker had a wide brimmed hat, drawn low over his face, and a cape concealed his uniform. But Snow wore the cap of the Federal cavalry, and I knew I had fallen into Yankee hands. I shook off the grip of the latter's hand from my arm. “I have no objection to telling you and rank,” I said coldly, that gun firet. I am | uniform. Perhaps I may be privilege) sk by what authority you halt and question me?” He evened and waved the weapon he il id toward the others of his party. “Our force alone is suMcient au- thority, I should suppose. However, I will set your mind at —I am Capt. Fox, in command of a detach- ment of the Twelfth Fennsylvania Cayairy.” “Oh, yes," I responded more pleas- antly, “of Gen, Ramsay's command. You left Charleston before m; rival, You know Major doubt?” “We are of his escort,” both suspi- clon and command lost before my cool Seeurence, “You are in the service, alr “Third United Staces Cavalry; on recruiting detall. I was to meet Har- at Hot Springs, but was told he had gone to Green Briar.” Mes to chap. b What “By all the gods, that’s rather odd!” he exclaimed in parent surprise, “That was the name of the man the expected to meet, wasn't it. jnow 2" a “And he told you tne Major had gone weet to Green Briar? That isn’t true, for thi the Green Briar road, and we ha’ a He paused, then broke out: “Well, this stumps me! It doesn’t sound straight, for wo left him safely in Hot Springs an hour before sun- down, and he had no purpose at t! time except to walt there for Taylor. Do you carry any papers?” I drew the official envelope from my t and held it out to him~ ‘A lo ght, Snow—ye will do. » Raymond, Got to us earlier than yo expected, Find many recruits north? ‘No," I answered, taken completely by surprise, but managing to control ‘my voice. “That was why I thought I might accomplish more in this sec- tion, Those counties have been combed over.” ated an in- atant, and yet it'was best for me to learn what I could. “I was not aware, Captain, that my projected visit had been announced,” He laughed, and the second match went out, leaving us again in dark- ness. “Nor was it, official merely a friendly letter from an officer on Heitzelman’s staff to our Major, ask- ing for you a friendly reception, Camp gossip brought the news to me. You knew Harwood?” “No; only Gen, Ramsay advised mo to confer with him, because of his intimate knowledge of this section. He belonged, I believe, im Green Briar?” ‘Yes; we were at his place yester- day, south of Lewisburg, What sort of a looking man was this fellow Taylor?” I described him minutely, hoping for some recognition, but the Captain did not appear to recall any such charact “We @ only been in this region a few months,” id, in t nd I di do you say, Snow?" “Only man like that I've heard of, sir, is old Ned Cowan, and it ain't Nkely he's left the mountains to go into ‘Old Jack's’ camp.” Fox laughed, as though the idea amused him. ‘Hardly. Cowan is too |) known to take the risk, Either side would hang the hound on sight. Well, let's ride along into Hot Sprii You'll come with us, Lieutenant? There was no excuse left me, no reason that I could urge for riding on alone westward, Yet IT must find aome jeans for parting company with these friendly cavalrymen, be- fore they discovered the fate of Har- wood. That was my frst Inclination; then {t occurred to me that possibly T could attain my end more easily by making use of thelr protectlo Riding as rapidly as the darkness made possible, we clattered into the deserted street at Hot Springs, and Fox cursed vigorously the negligent guard.’ The sergeant knew little of where Major Harwood had gone, as he had given no orders, and not even intimated the probable time of his ‘When last seen he was riding . Yes, there were two men who passed through the village about dusk, an old mountaineer, and a young fellow in Confederate uniform, He didn’t know where they went, he was asleep at the time, and Cor- poral Green, and most of the squad, jshing In the creok. ‘We rode on, toward the house where aod had been murdered. ue to perce: joomy house in the oak motionless 1) “That's Harwood's nigger. the body o devil was kni: 1 advanced with them up the drive- way, fearful that if I held back it might later be commented upon. The front door refused admittance, but we entered from the rear. Everything within was exactly as I had left it, and in the parlor, still dark because of closed blinds, lay the lifeless bedy ft |. Fox fell upon bis knees bealde the motioniéns form, ordering the windows thrown open, ts hands touching the lifeless flesh. “Dead for hours,” he exclatmed in & tone of horror, turning his gaze upon me. "Struck from behind—see, Raymond, What can this mean’ He began searching the pockets, “Not robbery—{or here is money, and @ watch. But the papers aro Kone, every scrap of them.” He looked about’ at the men, “The Major had his papers with ‘him, did he not, Chambers?" ‘ “Yes, sir," and the young, boyish soldier addressed st: tened up. “E waa with him when he put on cit- izen’s clothes, and he slipped a big buff packet into his pocket.” Fox's bewildered glance met mine. “Do you know what that packet contained, Captain?” I questioned, “Only that it was entrusted to his care by General Kamsay, and its des- tination was the army op the Lo- tomac.” “To be forwarded by this man Tay- jor?" “I do not know. Harwood ex- pected to meet Taylor here at Hot Springs, but 1 think thera were others here also. The Major kept his own counsel, but something I over- heard caused me to believe his en- gament with Taylor was of @ more private natyre. Chambers was hia clerk, perhaps he knows.” ‘The lad shook his head, his eyes on the dead man. m certain thow® papers were not meant for him, sir," he answered slowly. “They were to be given to a scout named Reiley, lt was some other business that brought the Major here all alone—but he never told me.” Four men were detailed to bury the body; then we rode on; trying to trace eatin the poor . the murderers possible course, It was an hour later when we came suddenly to the fork, the south branch leading over a long olay hill, the west along a rock ridge. x sD to the ground, and followed the ‘faint prints of the horse we were pursuing for a hundred yarda on foot. Bome cattle had passed southward, but there waa a defect in the shoe of the animal Taylor rodq clearly revealed in the clay. The Captain came back, @ grim smile on his lps, “The cuss was no Johnny Reb,” ho eald shortly. “That was what I was afraid of, but now I know what to do. We'll save our horses, men, for this is going to be a long ride—that mur- ring devil je headed for the Green Briar, This is the lower Lewisburg road.” He swung up into saddle. “Green, take three men ahead with you, and keep half a mile in advance, Watch out carefully, for there may be graybacks along here, Going with us, Lieutenant?” “About the best thing I can do," I replied readily, “my orders were for Green Briar and Fayette.” “All right, then, but they had small respect for your life when they sent u in there. From all I hear it ts ike @ menagerie of wild animals broken loose—-good fighting anywhere, Only trouble will be there ta eo much at home there will be no need for the boys to gnijst. However, that’s your affair, not mine.” His eyes surveyed his men ‘keenly, “Loosen carbines! Forward march! Trot! . CHAPTER Ill. The Night Attack. E rode on in silehce through b: the black night. spoke at last. Capt. Fox Turn” : Monday; Pobsuars 18; . — ‘1915'. a WORs ii a f B i j “ i7283 f i il iy Hee i g g 5 8 i fh 2s ; t ef i eclousness o! Wihout into the 8 ini door, ‘chang! the joom. Using i i i { & » 8 gist’ 5 me i heerful () going, companions, and there tle me shown. fore the owner returned; yet red, seduced by the warmth ire and dreading the storm wi fellow would rtehiy until the snow id 1 in the least ki to go—except that to the north, try. of Once in the neighborhood. Proritrey burg I would be on ground, and co’ Pork songs there 1 wor port the fate of F Pree Aen crulting, o rs, my i Capt Fox and the knowl ald me. If taeee not come back coased. Nor now where I was 1 must push along 9m! out of Cowan's cous- Lewie- pealn with wore Fed- boldly re- ‘out the district that a Lieu! had been detailed to would disarm all sun) my judgment Levi valley ahead—mi ible at the other end of I found the road and y . u you know, Raymond, I have felt for the last hour as if we were riding {ato some trap. I don’t believe there has ever been a Federaj fétachment down as far as this be! my belief. the fellow doesn't give @ whoop for either side. He's just & natural bern devil, and this war gave hima chance to get the hell out of his system. . If halt. thi told about him are true he ls a fiend for cruelty, ready enough. to fight either side if they Interfere; still, 1 guess, he-calls himself a Rel “And his followers mountain men conscripts from both sid Oo have naturally drifted to him. No- body knows how big a band he b but it would take an army to run them out of these mountains, We had orders to do it—but piffie! say came. down as far as Fayette Coyrt House with a regunent of in- fantry, and a cavalry guard, and sen out a flag of truce asking the old devil to come In and talk with him. He actually did come; rode right up to headquarters, with a dozen of his ragged fol » heard what Ram- y, and then simply told and rode determined on my Iking with Hayden during the noon halt. He described Cowan to me, and I believe he is the same man I encountered at Hot Springs, Captain Fox—the fellow Tay- lor we are in pursult of ‘The captain stared into the black night,, silent for several minutes, | “I've been suspecting the same ine rine. 9 he admitted at last slowly, ho} we would follow him, The fellow hasn't ridden fast, and hi urposely left More was expected ng this road, and there were relays of horses waitti “The man who killed Harwood was old Ned Cowan But Harwood must have known hey were neigh- and met there by appointment.” ‘Then, before I could raise voice, & t viciously, the red flame of its discharge cleaving the night. A fusillade followed, and in the flare I caught grotesque giimpses of men leaping forward, and there was a@ confused yelling of voices, a din of noise, I could not distinguish friend from foe—alike they were a blur of figures, one instant visible, the next obscured. Yet there could be doubt as to the final ending of the struggle. Taken by surprise, outnumbered, the little uad of troopers would be crushed, nihilated, Nor was there reason why I should sacrifice myself in their defense-- a valucless sacrifice. choice was instantly mai flashed to my mind wh would be if I ever fell into Cowan’ hands attired in Federal uniform. On hands and knees I crept to @ cleft in the rock wall by the road. Below, the noise of fighting ceased, A_ voice shouted an order, but it sounded far off, and indistinct, I was in a narrow gully, the inclines less steep than amid the rocks below, and could per- ceive the lighter canopy of the sky Ro sign all about extended a rude mountain solitude, but to the t there was a perceptible ped an hour, had warmed noble trees, @ la Ton wey, Led fs ture in the daca pe. it at once as the rest re. We're in old Ha: Changed—but from that was atill occupied, 1 tance was nothing to indicate that the ent straight forward, to the ve- ra tered is if by an axe, and ing pillars of the wide been hacked and above was tight! 1 groped ut, ind’ began to explore. ¢ lighted it Tavge room, the walls lined Ubpary, & with bookcases, afforded agement, but I stopped in Coe ain t the door of the dint ight ‘of my lamp reve late, & o' bread with a bone, with conali ing untouched, ai pot, sight of these artic and then th; in the fireplace hed. Sloved, yet were ty which some one had iately re elaals lone, There was parently al a chat cut rib hina ol nda i es: ; instant the unex For an Inst netsh) nda. The front steps were broken, eplin- the support- veranda had ‘The door amashed fo encour ‘oom—t! yy e at le of the room—the red gleam ember. dence of my own Heving, for an instant, ¢ but the reflection of the of the fire- in my hands, a convinced me—the ashes place had and partaken of food. I could not actually eredit the evi- firmly be- e nt held forward radiated were assed one in that very room been in i, cate y heart beat fast, but from ex~ Mi cltement, not ,fear. volver in one hand, the ‘With cocked re- lamp in the after ther, I aljently opened door door, ‘peering into vacant apartments, half thinking every shadow to bes skulking figure, 1 Stairway, a strip of rag moupted the beck carpet ren- dering my ateps silent, and, with head above. the lending, finshed light cautiously along the upper There were doors on either side, most of them open, but the third to the lett was closed. There was, no transom over it, but th far enough away from ti my lamp 60 o reveal hi ‘Taaius of a faint glow of light at the floor line. I sat the lamp down on the landing and rt nolselessly forward to assure myself; it was true, a light was bi in the closed room. urning with- CHAPTER IV. The Mistress of the House. HERE was no keyhole T through which I atood with I could peer, and the opening above the floor wae the merest crack. ri ear pressed against the panel, Angers gripping the butt of my revolver. ment within could be di Not a mover Notingulshed. ‘What might be the meaning of all this? What would I encounter when I dashed that door open, and faced the cocupant of the room: the fellow possibly be? ? Whe could For what A % EA 3 Hy ? 3 i t 3 *3 “ i i i i 3 i] . : I | 2 F pers ES = z = & | fi # r+ f j i i | : £ F g Fs R = 4 sy Ey i ow was ft