Page:Randall Parrish - The Red Mist.djvu/346

 326 to their blind riding by before. I turned to Harwood, who was whispering nonsense to Noreen.

"What do you mean to do, Lieutenant?" I asked quietly, but with my own mind made up. "Remain here?"

He stroked his small moustache.

"I thought we might hang on until midnight, Wyatt, and then, if nothing happened, take the back trail. I don't want to pass another day in this cussed hole. What do you think?"

"That the sooner we get away the better," I answered promptly. "Your position here is far more dangerous than you appear to realize. Both those parties travelling east were in search after us; they were led by men who would go to any extreme to effect our capture. I haven't time to tell you the whole story now, but it involves your cousin as well as myself. They rode straight on because they were convinced we were still ahead of them. 'Tis likely they know better now, and will search every ravine and covert on their return. If the forage train is moving this way those cavalrymen are with it in addition to the regular guard, and you will never dare attack with your small force. The only chance you have of bringing your command safely back to Covington, Lieutenant, is to get away before your presence here is suspected."