Page:Randall Parrish - The Red Mist.djvu/366

 346 Fox's voice raised to carry through the intervening wood.

"Sorry this happens to be my job, Wyatt," he said. "I am not in command, and therefore can offer no conditions of surrender. But for Miss Harwood's sake I hope you will not attempt to fight; we've got a total force out here of over two hundred men."

"So I see," I answered coolly, "including Cowan, and my old friend the lieutenant. Quite a compliment to send half a regiment after one man."

"Our having such a force is largely accident," he responded somewhat stiffly. "But that is neither here nor there; your escape is impossible."

"I am not considering escape," and I spoke loud enough to be heard clearly. "This is going to be a fight, Captain Fox—a real fight."

"A fight! What, you alone?"

"Oh, no; there are men enough in this church to make it quite interesting. That is why I warn you—we are soldiers, not murderers."

"What! You think that bluff will work?"

"Captain Fox," broke in Harwood bluntly, his voice nervously sharp. "I command Troop 'C,' Third Kentucky Cavalry. This is no bluff, sir. I give you fifteen minutes to withdraw your men; at the expiration of that time we open fire."