Page:Randall Parrish - The Red Mist.djvu/79

 Rh "But Harwood must have known him," I protested.

"Of course he did; they were neighbors before the war, and met there by appointment. For all I know the Major may have had some confidential communication from the War Department. God knows, what it was. All I am sure about is that I would give a good deal to be out of this fix right now, and twenty miles to the north of here."

We sat there for half an hour, discussing the matter, and endeavoring to convince ourselves the danger was less than we imagined. There was nothing to be done but wait for daylight. We could not possibly proceed through that darkness, along the unknown mountain road. We would be safer where we were, quietly hidden away in this cleft of the rocks. Finally Fox crept forth again to make another round of the pickets, to assure himself they were alert, and I lay down in a little hollow, and rolled up in my blanket. Above me I could see but one star peering through a rift of cloud, and, except for the heavy breathing of the men, and their restless turning, there was scarcely a sound. Even the wind had ceased to rattle the dead leaves. The very silence seemed a pledge of safety, and, before the Captain returned, I had fallen asleep.

The chill of the night awoke me, cold and