FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   104   105   106   107   108   109   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128  
129   130   131   132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   >>   >|  
nly relaxed and lay still, but the other sprang to its feet. It was Tom Ross who arose, and a cry of relief, low, but very deep, broke from each of the spectators. But Tom had not gone unscathed. The blade of the warrior had ripped open all the clothing on his left shoulder and had also cut deep into the flesh. Already the black blood was dripping upon the leaves. "Bound to weaken me, an' I must stop somewhar to tie it up," said Tom tersely. "You two go on." "We'll come back for you, too, Tom," said Henry, deeply moved, knowing how much it cost Silent Tom Ross to fall by the way. "I turn to the east," said Tom. "I'll be restin' somewhar in the woods." He slid away through the bushes and in an instant was gone. Henry, in order to keep the pursuit in the main channel and let the departure of Tom Ross pass unnoticed, sent back a fierce and challenging cry, the first that the fugitives had given forth that night. It was answered instantly from a point very near, the triumphant shout issuing from the throats of men who believed their victory sure and at hand. "We must reach the Ohio, Sol," said Henry, "you and I, or you or I." "Both or one," said Shif'less Sol. "Come on." His face was upturned a little and, although there was no moonlight now, Henry saw it clearly. There was nothing of listlessness or despair in the face of the shiftless one. The look of exaltation that sometimes came upon him shone from his eyes. Dauntless and true, he would remain to the last. "Thar's a gleam among the trees," he said ten minutes later, "an' it looks like water." "It must be the Ohio! It surely is the Ohio!" said Henry. "We must swim for it, Sol." The shiftless one only nodded in reply, but both as they ran tied their ammunition again around their necks, seeing at the same time that their powder horns were stopped up tightly. The trees thinned fast, open muddy ground appeared, and before them stretched a broad yellow current, the Ohio. They called up the last reserve of their strength and ran as swiftly as they could over the moist, sinking earth. But they were now visible to their pursuers, who had not yet emerged from the forest, and more bullets were fired. "Are you hit, Sol?" asked Henry, anxiously of his comrade. "No," replied the shiftless one. "Too dark fur 'em to take good aim." The river seemed to widen as they approached it. It might be narrow enough somewhere near here for cannon to command it, but
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   104   105   106   107   108   109   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128  
129   130   131   132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   >>   >|  



Top keywords:
shiftless
 

somewhar

 

minutes

 
approached
 

ammunition

 

surely

 

nodded

 

narrow

 

exaltation

 

listlessness


despair

 
command
 

Dauntless

 
cannon
 
remain
 

stopped

 

pursuers

 

visible

 

emerged

 

forest


sinking

 

bullets

 

replied

 

comrade

 

anxiously

 
swiftly
 

thinned

 

ground

 

appeared

 

tightly


powder

 

called

 
reserve
 

strength

 

stretched

 

yellow

 

current

 

believed

 

tersely

 

weaken


Already
 
dripping
 

leaves

 

Silent

 

knowing

 
deeply
 

relief

 
sprang
 
relaxed
 

clothing