ith a wagon
behind.

"We must get outen heah, an' thet quick," said Fortner decisively.
He caught one of the horses and shortened a stirrup to make the saddle
answer for a side-saddle. "Heah, Aunt Debby, let me help ye up, honey.
Now Bolton and Edwards, I'll help ye on these ere other critters. Now
skeet out ez fast ez the hosse's legs will tote ye. Don't spar 'em a
mite. Them fellers'll gin ye to the devil's own chase ez soon ez
they get heah, an' see what's bin done. Glen and me'll go acrost the
mounting, an' head 'em off on t'other side. Don't come back ef ye heah
shootin', but keep straight on, fur we kin take keer o' this crowd
without enny help. Glen, you sasshay up the mounting thar ez fast ez the
Lord'll let ye. I'll be arter ye right spry."

All sped away as directed. Fortner had been loading his gun while
speaking. He now rammed the bullet home, and withdrawing his rammer
walked over to the cliff beside which the teamster was cowering.

"O, Mister Fortner, don't kill me--please don't!" whined the luckless
man, getting awkwardly upon his knees and raising his hands imploringly.
"I swar ter God I'll never raise a hand agin a Union man agin ef ye'll
only spar my life."

"Kill ye, Pete Hoskins!" said Fortner with unfathomable contempt. "What
consete ye hev ter think yer wuth the powder an' lead. I hain't no
bullets ter waste on carr'on."

He struck the abject fellow a couple of stinging blows on the face with
the ramrod, replaced it in the thimbles, and sprang up the rocks just as
the head of the cavalry appeared around the bend of the road a few rods
away.

Overtaking Harry shortly, he heard about the same time the Rebels on the
road below strike into a trot.

"They know hit all now," he said, "an' hev started in chase. Let's jog
on lively, an' get ter whar we kin head 'em off."

Night had fallen in the meantime, but the full moon had risen
immediately, making it almost as light as day.

After half an hour's fast walking, the two Unionists had cut across the
long horseshoe around which the Rebels were traveling, and had come down
much ahead of them on the other side of the mountain, and just where the
road led up the steep ascent of another mountain.

There was a loneliness about the spot that was terrible. Over it hung
the "thought and deadly feel of solitude." The only break for miles in
the primeval forest was that made for the narrow road. House or cabin
there was none in all the gloomy reaches o