The War Library: Phil, the Scout — page 16: what you’re looking at

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~ 16 yell broke upon their ears, coming from the bluff overhead. Had a secret way been discovered by which the Confederates hoped to reach the natural fortress in which Phil and his com- nee ions now were? O. Yet why that cry of triumph? Before either of the two men could deter- mine this questiun, half a dozen men leaped from the darkness, not four yards from the spot where our friends stood. How had they reached the ground ? A rope dangling from the top of the bluff solved the problem. By means of that rope the Confederates had slid, hand over hand, down the sides of the perpendicular wall of rock, and now stood almost face to face with the objects of their pursuit. i It was a moment of thrilling peril. “Hollow me!” whispered Phil, as he leaned down and clasped the form of Molly Grame in hisarms. ‘‘Wewill give these rascals a chance to chase us. If they overtake us, then let them look out for themselves.”’ To the athletic young man the burden he bore formed little obstacle to his flight. Rushing along the narrow. pathway through which St. Clair and Molly had en- tered, and closely pursued by St. Clair, he turned abruptly and hastened up the steep bank toward the forest lying along shore. So rapid had been bis action that as yet the Confederates had not yet made their ap- pearance in the rear. Either they had not noticed the escape, or they were waiting for reinforcements from above. Not long did they remain in doubt, if they had been deceived by Phil’s dashing move- ment, for almost at the next imstant there came from the border of the stream a round, of shot which whizzed in close proximity to the fleeing Unionists. This lent new strength to Phil's energy, and up, up he climbed, so swiftly that St. Clair, strong as he was, and accustomed to active exercise, panted wearily long before the top wus reached. At last the trio found themselves fairly on level ground. Not here did Phil check his speed, but plunged at once still further and further away from the river. i Now and then shouts came from behind, and it was plainto be seen that the chase was soon to become a hot one. But hist! The thunder of horses’ feet along the edge of the bluff fell on the ears of the retreating party. Danger was closing around them on every hand. Shutting his teeth hard together, Phil leaped madly on, still bearing in his arms the form of Molly. The verge of the forest was soon reached. Its friendly shadows gave a sense of se- curity to the trio. Surely, here they would be able to throw into confusion, if only for a few brief min- utes, their pursuers. Hotly rode the Confederates now, at their head the evil Oglethorpe. With himit was almost life or death to either capture St. Clair or end his existence. Of the presence there of Phil Lamonte he knew nothing. Confiding in those he had dispatched in the boat with the man he hated, he believed him at that moment safely beneath the waves of the stream below. Phil could hear the clatter of hoofs grow- ing plainer and plainer in the rear. uN ividently the Confederates were gaining on them. Something desperate must be done, and done quickly. Already he knew that the rebels had gain- ed the forest. He could distinguish the tones of Ogle- thorpe, as he commanded his men to sepa- rate and search the wood closely. Look whichever way he might, naught but an interminable waste of dense forest trees met his gaze. Huge monarchs of a century’s growth reared their lofty heads a hundred feet in the air on every hand, while down their sides great limbs reached out in every direc- tion forming a shelter which the sunlight seldom penetrated. Suddenly the quick eye of Phil discovered a place of escape which was furthest from his mind. He had halted for an instant under one of the giant forest trees, listening with bated breath and bounding heart to the signs of pursuit which fell faster and faster upon his ear. 84 THE WAR LIBRARY. Turning his gaze upward for the purpose measuring the distance to the lowest branch, he saw a wide opening in the trunk of the tree, half concealed by a leafy bough which drooped over it. ‘‘T believe we shall clude them after all,”’ he said, ina low, but excited tone. ‘* Look up yonder. Do you notice that hole in the trunk ofthistree? Unless I mistake, it is hol- low.’’ “Tf that be true, is it not out of our reach? It must be ten feet from the ground. How can we gain it?” “T propose to try it, anyway. St. Clair, mount to my shoulder and see if you can eatch hold of the edge of the opening.”’ The young man stooped alittle as hespoke, and St. Clairsprung upon his shoulder. Then straightening up, Phil lifted his com- panion as high as he could. St. Clair easily reached the opening, and thrust hisarm far into the hollow space. There wasno doubt about the matter; there was room for half a dozen within the tree. Springing inside, he was rejoiced to find that it was but afoot ortwo down before his weight rested, apparently on solid wood. “Ttisallright,’? he whispered. ‘ There is plenty of room in here.’’ ‘*Then reach down and help Molly,’’ was Phil’s avswer, as he raised the girl toward the opening. St. Clair did as instructed, and in another instant she stood beside him. Phil then paused to gain breath for a leap upward himself. Stepping back a pace or two, he was about to spring toward the hole when a hand clutched him from behind, and before he could make amove to help himself he was thrown prostrate upon the ground! Glaring into his face were the dark, bale- ful eyes of Oliver Oglethorpe. Seeing who the man was whose escape he had prevented, the Confederate exclaimed : ‘“You here! Am I awakeor sleeping? I thought my men left you under the water out yonder; yetI find youhere. How much longer will you thrust yourself in my way? Nof once more, unless my hand betrays me now. I'llfinish this work mysely and have done with it.”’ Thus speaking, he pulled a pistol and pointed it toward the breast of Phil. Just then the Union scout gave a kick uicker than a flash, and struck the legs of glethorpe, knocking them from under his body, sending him headlong upon his face. No sooner had he done s0 than he was sur- rounded onevery side by Confederate horse- men. The chance for escape by weans of the hol- low tree was now very small indeed. In fact it could not be thought of longer. Else- where must he turn for safety. Hardly knowing whither he was going the young man darted away from thetree. He must draw attention away from that, or his friends inside would be placed in imminent danger. Not ten steps had he taken when he found his passage barred by a stout rebel, who dis- puted the way with a drawn sword. There was a sudden gleam of light. Phil’s unerring revolver had spoken. The way lay open before him. Straight toward the stream he was mark- ing his course, ‘¢ After him, quick!’’ yelled Oglethorpe, re- gaining his feet. ‘‘The devil seems to help the rascal! But he shall not escape us! Fifty dollars to the man who shoots him! After him!”’ Phil knew everything was now at stake, and the words of Oglethorpe aroused him to superhuman efforts. The thunder of horses rushing pell-mell through the forest, and the yells of excited riders mingled to make the scene one of thrilling interest. Lights began to flash here and there among the trees. Several Confederates discharged their weapons at random in the darkness, and the bullets went hurtling through the fohage around him. 1t was useless to think of facing such a mob of infuriated beings. He knew that no mercy would be shown him in a moment like that, and that hope of safety lay only in flight. So at a pace which carried him onward al- most as fast as a horse could have done, Phil Lamonte passed the edge of the forest, and dashed through the narrow strip of cleared ground lying between it and the river. When herushed out upon this open field he came fully into sight, and a yell of tri- umph burst from the throats of the pursuing party. ; Swear it. “sf. ¥ : * A round of shots sung in close proximity — to him. He was being pressed beyond his strength. Stiil he paused not. . The verge of the bluff now yawned at his eet. With a glance back at his foes, the intrepid | youth leaped into the water fifty feet be- | low. CHAPTER XVI. THE CONFEDERATE’S PLOT. _ Standing on the edge of the cliff, and gaz- ing into the blackness beneath his feet, Oli- — ver Oglethorpe said: ‘‘itis just as well. Ifhe is mad enough to ona * * ——_ ie take his own life, so be it. It simply saves us the trouble. Boys, we can now go back tocamp. Our work here is done. No man could nake thatleap and live. We all know that. We've seen the last of Phil Lamonte.’’ As he spoke, he turned his horse’s head away from the stream. Riding ahead a few paces, he muttered to himself, ‘* Now, Miss Molly, we’ll see who has the game. With your lover dead, and you and the colonel’s old enemy up a tree, the pros- pect begins to look brighter. Lucky 1 dis- covered the fellow just as he was going to make that leap. I’m sure we shall find the other two up where he was trying to get.” Finding his way back to the hollow tree, Oglethorpe dismounted, at the same time saying to the two men who were standing guard beneath the opening: ‘““You have obeyed orders and kept close watch here?’’ ‘‘Wehave,’’ was the reply. ‘‘ Notsomuch as a mouse has stirred since we have been in this place. I guess you’re barking up the wrong tree this time, sure.”’ ‘*We can tell better after we've explored the recesses of this tree. I’m going in my- self. Here, lend me a hand, one of you.”’ Oxzlethorpe leaped upward by the assist- ance of his followers, and soon was sitting on the edge of the hole, peering into the cavity before him. ' Nothing butinky darkness stared him in the face. He shouted, loudly : ‘*Halloo in there! You may as well sur- render. We've hunted you down, and you might as well hope to escape the crack of doom as to slip through my fingers now. Ol- iver Oglethorpe isa man who never makes a mistake in the long run.”’ There came from the answer. Only the dull echo of hisown voice responded. ; ‘* Trying a still game, are they ?’”’ continue ¢ * Se, 4 e . yawning cavity no | ao" the Confederate officer, listening a moment, — ‘That won’t work. Hand me that lantern, Dick. We'll throw alittle light on this sub- ject. I’m thinking that will rout them out of their hiding place.”’ The man accosted as Dick handed the lantern he had held upto his leader, who took it, and stretching his arm out in the hollow of the tree, let the rays of the lamp fall into the opening. Then an exclamation of deepest surprise burst from his lips. The place was empty ! Below him there gaped a deep abyss, ap- parently without bottom, from which not the slightest sound arose. Above hishead the hole gradually gave way tosolid wood, and finally came to an end not more than twenty feet beyond his reach. Here was a mystery which the intellect of Oglethorpe could not fathom. Could it be possible that after all he had been mistaken, and that Phil alone had tried to escape by means of this hole? He did not believe it. He had seen the two men, one of whom was beating a woman’s form, run across the cleared space on this side the stream. They must have taken refuge here. But where were they now? It was a question he could not answer in any way. ‘*By my soul! They have cheated me in spite of fate!’? he muttered, as he swung himself to the ground. ‘‘ Noone would have been fool enough to jump into that bottom- less pit, that’s certain. See here, Dick. Have you lied to me?’ he said, turning sharply upon the rebel soldier. “If you have, it will go hard with you. I want the bare facts about this matter. Did you let those prisoners escape ?”’ ‘* As we live, captain, no one has made his appearance from that hole since we have been here,’’? was the solemn response. “I We watched it narrowly, know- Gomicbooks Go