“Well, the Lord knows what ought to be done,” said Chadwick; “but I reckon the best plan is to sorter scatter out an’ skirmish aroun’ a little bit. We’d better divide our army. You go up the mountain an’ git Spurlock, if he’s up thar, an’ let me take my stan’ on the ridge yander an’ keep my eye on Uncle Billy’s back yard an’ hoss lot. If Spurlock is r’ally tuck to the woods, he’ll be mighty apt to be slinkin’ ’roun’ whar the gal is.”
Captain Moseley assented to this plan, and proceeded to put it in execution as soon as he and Chadwick were a safe distance from Uncle Billy Powers’s house. Chadwick, dismounting, led his horse along a cow-path that ran at right angles to the main road, and was soon lost to sight, while the captain rode forward on his mission.
Of the two, as it turned out, the captain had much the more comfortable experience. He reached the Spurlock house in the course of three-quarters of an hour.
In response to his halloo Mrs. Spurlock came to the door.
“I was a-spinnin’ away for dear life,” she remarked, brushing her gray hair from her face, “when all of a sudden I hearn a fuss, an’ I ’lows ter myself, says I, ‘I’ll be boun’ that’s some one a-hailin’,’ says I; an’ then I dropped ever’thin’ an’ run ter the door an’ shore enough it was. Won’t you ’light an’ come in?” she inquired with ready hospitality. Her tone was polite, almost obsequious.
“Is Mr. Israel Spurlock at home?” the captain asked.
“Not, as you might say, adzackly at home, but I reckon in reason it won’t be long before he draps in. He hain’t had his breakfas’ yit, though hit’s been a-waitin’ for him tell hit’s stone col’. The cows broke out last night, an’ he went off a-huntin’ of ’em time it was light good. Iserl is thes ez rank after his milk ez some folks is after the’r dram. I says, says I, ‘Shorely you kin do ’thout your milk one mornin’ in the year;’ but he wouldn’t nigh hear ter that. He thes up an’ bolted off.”
“I’ll ride on,” said the captain. “Maybe I’ll meet him coming back. Good-by.”
It was an uneventful ride, but Captain Moseley noted one curious fact. He had not proceeded far when he met two men riding down the mountain. Each carried a rifle flung across his saddle in front of him. They responded gravely to the captain’s salutation.
“Have you seen Israel Spurlock this morning?” he asked.