morning," said Dick, riding straight on, without checking his
speed. But one of the men drew his horse across the road and said:

"What's your hurry? It ain't friendly to ride by without passin' the
time o' day."

Now at close range, Dick liked their looks less than ever. They might
be members of that very band of Skelly's which had already made so much
trouble for both sides, and he summoned all his faculties in order to
meet them at any game that they might try to play.

"I've been on land business in the mountains," he said, "and I'm anxious
to get back to my home. Besides the day is very cold, and the two facts
deprive me of the pleasure of a long conversation with you, gentlemen.
Good-day."

"Wait just a little," said the spokesman, who still kept his horse
reined across the road. "These be war times an' it's important to know
what a fellow is. Be you for the Union or are you with the Secesh?"

Dick was quite sure that whatever he answered they would immediately
claim to be on the opposite side. Then would follow robbery and perhaps
murder.

"Which is your side?" he asked.

"But we put the question first," the fellow replied.

Dick no longer had any doubts. The second man was drawing his horse up
by the side of him, as if to seize him, while the first continued to bar
the way. He was alarmed, deeply alarmed, but he lost neither his courage
nor his presence of mind. Luckily he had already summoned every faculty
for instant action, and now he acted. He uttered a sudden shout, and
raked the side of his horse with both spurs.

His horse was not only large and powerful but of a most high spirit.
When he heard that shout and felt the burning slash of the spurs he
made a blind but mighty leap forward. The horse of the first stranger,
smitten by so great a weight, fell in the road and his rider went down
with him. The enraged horse then leaped clear of both and darted forward
at headlong speed.

As his horse sprang Dick threw himself flat upon his neck, and the
bullet that the second man fired whistled over his head. By impulse he
drew his own pistol and fired back. He saw the man's pistol arm fall as
if broken, and he heard a loud cry. That was a lucky shot indeed, and
rising a little in his saddle he shouted again and again to the great
horse that served him so well.

The gallant animal responded in full. He stretched out his long neck and
the road flew fast behind him. Sparks flashed from the stones where