Page:Randall Parrish - The Red Mist.djvu/291

 Rh nostrils. Noreen slipped from her saddle, and joined me, peering out through the interlaced branches. Over her shoulder I glimpsed a section of the open field, and saw the dim, indistinct shadows advancing. They were men on foot, walking so closely bunched as to make it impossible to distinguish their number. The leader, a yard or two in advance, apparently knew the way well, and the others pressed on after him across the open ground almost on a dog trot. Indeed, they were upon us before we gained more than a swift glimpse of them, plunging into the narrow opening that led down to the river. There was no attempt at silence, their hurrying feet stirring up the dead leaves, and voices calling out warnings along the line, or raised in sudden profanity. The noise thus made, saved us from discovery, the horses moving restlessly in spite of our efforts at control; but without suspicion the file swept past, scarcely a dozen feet from where we stood, and disappeared in the dense blackness below. I counted thirty-three men, vague, shapeless shadows, each bearing a gun, and, as the last straggler crashed by, and disappeared, I felt Noreen's hands clasp my arm, and glanced at her.

"They have all gone," I said reassuringly.

"Yes, I know," her words a whisper. "Do you know who they are?"