Chasing an Iron Horse

baying of the dog, and heard, too, the voices of men-no doubt some of the armed Southerners from the pursuing train-he saw the peril that encompassed both himself and the bo

scious George, and ran with him, as one might have run with some helpless infant, to the top of the hill, and then down on the other side. Waggie came barking after them; he seemed to ask why it was that his master had gone to sleep in

ld until he reached some bottom-land covered by a few unhealthy-looking pine-trees. Here he paused, panting almost as hard as the poor vanished "General" had done in the last

accustomed to do far away at home when he wanted to wake up his master. George fina

heerily. "You only fainted away, just for va

imself to a sitting posture, and th

as utterly weary; he cared not if a whole army of me

e flask, poured some of the contents down the boy's throat, and then took a liberal drink hims

keep that sort of thing up forever. We must g

f men began to sound nearer. Watson sprang to his feet. The increase of the danger

d, calmly but impressively;

The draught from the flask ha

o?" he asked. "I'

n stream rushing madly past. It might originally have been a small river, but now, owing to the spring rains and freshets, it looked turbulent and dan

swim?" as

es

er all, the water's safe

ge. The sight was not encouraging. The river foamed like an angr

e water is a little treacherous, George," he said. "

felt more like himself now; he even betrayed

sten! By Jove, those rascals have di

me nearer and nearer. Waggie began to growl fiercely, quite as if h

eorge," cried Watson. "

hats they had already lost in their flight from "The General." In thei

sed George's mind. It

t leave him here." He would as soon have left a

l have to leave h

l of strong cord which had been used when he climbed the telegraph poles. Pulling a knife from a pocket in his trousers he cut a piece of the cord about two yards in length, tied one end around his waist an

current was rapid, and it required all his power to keep from being carried down the ri

"This current's no joke!" Even

s. Was he about to faint again? He dared not think of it. There was a loosening of the cord around his waist. He looked t

ated by, but it was too late. He might

struggled onward, but he had already overtaxed his stren

tered his companion, who

me," said George,

arcely knowing what he did. Watson kept on like a giant fish, sometimes in danger

he found himself lying on the river's e

e over the river at last. I just got you over in time, for when we neared

you," said George, f

"Come, there's not a second to l

he baying and the harsh human voices. Almost before George realized what had hap

he ordered. "The men

g stream, the tones of their pursuers. They had just reached the river, and must be searching for th

across the river. "We had better go ba

across the stream,"

tain death!" answe

e coats and boots!" "They did try to cross, after all." "Well, they never got over in this current!" "They must have been carried d

Had He Execute

n, under his breath. "So that

not one of us who wants to swim over the river in its present state, and as the fools may even be drowned by this time, I move we go h

don't you know night's just the ti

en, to swim across

N

morrow, when the river is less angry, we wi

and the rain ceased. Then Watson and his companion crawled cautiously from behind the boulder. They were two as dilapidated creatures as ever drew breath under a southern sky. With soaking shirts a

arming spot all night," s

can find," answered the boy gloomily. "Poor Wag

'll never forget the appealing look i

r that?" cr

Some one aft

s a dog

ie, but it can't be he. H

ed to run down the bank, in the direction whence the sound proceede

as holding in his hands a little animal that resembled a drowne

ked the dripping back of the rescued dog, whereupon Wa

e water a few feet away from the bank," enthusiastically expla

n lau

wet looking tramps, don't we? And I gu

his tail with

d the boy, with a sort of grim humor; "and

on Watson. He turned from the river and peered into the rapidly increasing gloom.

rubbed his hands across his empt

r there," he said, p

ty miles of here will be on the lookout for any of Andrews' party-and

geography of the surrounding country, and he felt that as soon as morning arrived the neighborhood would be searched far and wide. Had he been alone he might have tried to walk throughout the night unt

rted away towards

ack," he said to George

r he had returned t

ind. There sat a sweet-faced, white-haired old gentleman, evidently a minister of the gospel, reading a chapter from the scriptures to an elderly lady and two girls-his wife and children I suppose. He can't have heard anything about our business yet-for I heard him ask on

house in unusually quick time for such tired wanderers. When they reached the gate

xious to join the Confederate forces-et cetera. Bah! I loathe all this sub

oon stood before them. The lamp which he held above him shone upon a face full of benignity and peac

asked food and lodgings for George

ply but cordially, "any friend o

the two Northerners and the dog into his cozy sitting-room and introduced them to his wife and two daught

They're on a journey to Atlanta, all the way from Kentucky, to enlist.

two half-worn coats and two pairs of old shoes, w

said, "but he'd be glad to have such patriots as yo

d Watson. He spoke but the simple truth. He was glad that he did, for he hated

e they found a table laden with a profusion of plain but welcome food. W

his family, who had been bustling around attending to the wants of their guests, began to grow dim in his weary eyes. Watson, who was sitting opposite to him, looked blurred, indistinct. He was vaguely conscious that the old gentleman was saying: "These are times that try our souls." Then the boy sank back in his chair, sound asleep. He began to dream. H

was the look that one might expect to see in a hunted animal at bay. Near him stood the old man, who seemed to be the incarnation of mournful perplexity, his wife, who was no less d

r," Watson was say

ring the half hour which G

back in his chair. She went into the sitting-room and returned with a cushion which she proceeded

g South," answered his companion. "

ed with Virginia tobacco to Wat

vice," he laug

tenance of his host. "Why should this old gentleman and I be enemies?" he thought. "I wish the wa

eral quaint stories of plantation life, while they smok

nd opened the door. He had a brief parley with some one; then the door closed, and he reentered the

It was a natural question. It had once more begun to rain; the

son," explained the clergyman. "I h

f the girls, who had gentle blue eyes like her fat

he letter?" en

t-had to be off with another letter to Farmer Lo

ng at the outside; you act as if you were afraid of it," spoke u

the envelope to the dark-eyed girl. She tore it open, and glanced over the single sheet of paper inside. Then she gave a shar

ed the minister. "Anythi

there's something wrong, but it isn't over at Jasons'. Listen to this!" She h

or Bu

ar

they were obleeged to jump off only a few miles from here. So you must keep on the lookout-they are around-leastwise a boy and grown man have been seen, although mos

ou

les J

s feet, as he threw his pipe on the hearth. Waggie woke up with a whine. The Reverend Mr. Buckley looked at Watson, and then at the sleepi

Cynthia broke

ry about your being so fond of the South that you must travel all the way from Kentuc

balance. He could not even defend himself save by his hands, for the pistol which he carried in his hip-pocket had been rendered temporarily useless

thin a few miles of Chattanooga, and then had to abandon our engine, because we were trapped. We tried to burn bri

saw at once that something was wrong but

thia, "and you know what the punishm

" said Watson, with deliberation.

wouldn't hang the boy, would t

answer, when Miss Cynthia

ide the house. She left the room, ran to th

erns, looking, I'm sure, for the spies," she anno

But he realized, the next instant, how useless this would be; he could

almost mournfully, as the sound of voices co

said Watson, calmly. H

ife itself," answered Mr. Buckley. "I can have no sympathy for you!"

ng, father!" cried t

She seemed to be struggling with a hundred conflicting emotions. Waggie ran

to give us up

minister, very slowly, "and I know wha

urned to

s well be to-night as to-morrow, or the next

" said Geor

ia, "the men are at the d

ay her head, for there