Page:Randall Parrish - The Red Mist.djvu/351

 Rh  of a rifle showing clear above his shoulder, a broad hat-brim flapping to the movements of his horse. They drew rein opposite the church, the cavalryman's horse turned partly about. In the distance, down the sharp slope of the hill, appeared the deeper shadow of an advancing column of mounted men. The only sound was the impatient pawing of a horse's hoof, and Noreen's whisper at my ear:

"The—the bigger one is Anse Cowan."

"And the other Raymond," I returned in the same low tone. "The two have apparently got together."

"It looks mighty odd to me," said a voice suddenly, clearly audible through the night, "that fellow being in Reb uniform. What could he be doing here?"

"A scout, I reckon," grumbled a reply, barely distinguishable. "Couldn't be no considerable force along yere, Lieutenant, fer we've both been over ther pike since mornin'. Thet wus just a stray we run into, but it mout be best ter take a look along this yere ridge afore we ride on."

"All right," asserted the other. "I'll wait here until Fox and Moran come up. Let some of your men ride back as far as those woods over yonder; and say, it wouldn't do any harm to take a look inside the church. You didn't stop coming out?"