Page:Randall Parrish - The Red Mist.djvu/77

 Rh fellow doesn't give a whoop for either side. He's just a natural born devil, and this war gave him a chance to get the hell out of his system. If half the stories told about him are true he is a fiend for cruelty, ready enough to fight either side if they interfere; still, I guess, he calls himself a Reb."

"And his followers?"

"A motley crew of mountain men mostly, scattered all through here, together with a bunch of deserters and conscripts from both sides who have naturally drifted to him. Nobody knows how big a band he has, but it would take an army to run them out of these mountains. We had orders to do it—but piffle! Ramsay came down as far as Fayette Court House with a regiment of infantry, and a cavalry guard, and sent out a flag of truce asking the old devil to come in and talk with him. He actually did come; rode right up to headquarters, with a dozen of his ragged followers, heard what Ramsay had to say, and then simply told the general to go to hell, and rode off again."

"Were you there? did you see the men?"

"No, but the sergeant did; he was detailed at that time as headquarters' orderly."

"Yes," I said, determined on my course, "I was talking with Hayden during the noon halt. He described Cowan to me, and I believe he is the same