All eyes were turned upon a fringe of laurel and butternut that
encroached upon the road half a mile away, where it seemed that such
of the inhabitants who were missing from the bluff were hidden to give
warning or retard the approach of the posse. A gray haze, slowly rising
between the fringe and the distant hillside, was recognized as the
dust of a cavalcade passing along the invisible highway. In the hush
of expectancy that followed, the irregular clatter of hoofs, the sharp
crack of a rifle, and a sudden halt were faintly audible. The
men, scattered in groups on the bluff, exchanged a smile of grim
satisfaction.

Not so their leader! A quick start and an oath attracted attention to
him. To their surprise he was looking in another direction, but as
they looked too they saw and understood the cause. A file of horsemen,
hitherto undetected, were slowly passing along the little ridge on their
right. Their compact accoutrements and the yellow braid on their
blue jackets, distinctly seen at that distance, showed them to be a
detachment of United States cavalry.

Before the assemblage could realize this new invasion, a nearer clatter
of hoofs was heard along the high road, and one of the ambuscading party
dashed up from the fringe of woods below. His face was flushed, but
triumphant.

"A reg'lar skunk--by the living hokey!" he panted, pointing to the faint
haze that was again slowly rising above the invisible road. "They backed
down as soon as they saw our hand, and got a hole through their new
sheriff's hat. But what are you lookin' at? What's up?"

The leader impatiently pointed with a darkening face to the distant