Page:Randall Parrish - The Red Mist.djvu/71

 Rh believe his engagement with Taylor was of a more private nature. Chambers was his clerk, perhaps he knows."

The lad shook his head, his eyes on the dead man.

"I'm certain those papers were not meant for him, sir," he answered slowly. "They were to be given to a scout named Dailey. It was some other business that brought the Major here all alone—but he never told me."

There was nothing further to be discovered, and Fox realized the necessity of haste. His orders were prompt. Four men were detailed to bury the body, and then rejoin the column as soon as possible. The others were marched back to the gate, and remounted. Taylor had apparently made no effort to conceal his trail, the hoof-prints of his horse showing clearly now daylight had returned. He had ridden south at a sharp trot, and Fox, satisfied as to this fact, ordered his men forward. The gait at which we rode rendered conversation impossible, although my horse easily kept stride beside the Captain. More and more clearly the strangeness of my position was borne in upon my mind—here I was in Federal uniform, in a column of blue-clad cavalry, riding desperately in pursuit of a fugitive. It was all a series of strange accidents, and I could not figure out how I was to extricate myself from the