Page:Randall Parrish - The Red Mist.djvu/403

 Rh thar; he seed 'em tergether just afore we charged. But I'll be damned, if they're thar now."

Raymond muttered something, a smothered oath no doubt, and then burst forth:

"Well, good God, man! They are both flesh and blood. If neither are there then they must have found a way of escape. We had every side of the church guarded so a mouse couldn't get through in this moonlight—I saw to that myself."

"There were no guards on the east."

"Because there was no room to post any. The church walls are on the edge of the ravine; Cowan said there were none needed there."

"Wal," insisted the other, half angrily. "I didn't think so neither, no mor'n Anse did; but I reckon that's whar we made a mistake. Them two's skedaddled, an' thar warn't no chance fer 'em enywhar else. Thet's plan 'nough, ain't it I don't know nuthin' 'bout whut's thar, fur I never ain't been 'long thet edge, but if them two ever got out inter thet thar ravine they're thar yet, fer thar's no way leading out 'cept along ther trail yonder."

"What trail? Where?"

"Back thar, 'bout a hundred feet, I reckon—an ol' hog trail thet leads down ter the crick. Thar couldn't nobody cum up it without yer seein' 'em from here."