“Surrender, or you are dead men,” cried the leader. Calhoun saw they were surrounded by at least twenty-five men, and a most villainous-looking set they were. There was no help for it. To refuse to surrender meant instant death, and Calhoun and Nevels yielded as gracefully as possible.

The Sergeant stood still looking up the road waiting for them to appear, when he caught sight of the head of a man, then of another, and another.

“Boys,” he shouted, excitedly, “something is wrong; the Lieutenant is in trouble.”

The little squad sprang to their horses, and without thinking of danger, or what force they would meet, rode to the rescue, the Sergeant in the lead. But when they neared the place, they were met with a volley which brought three of the horses down and seriously wounded two of the men.

“Forward!” shouted the Sergeant, staggering to his feet, and holding his wounded arm, from which the blood was streaming.

But another volley brought down two more of the horses, and the Sergeant seeing they were outnumbered more than two to one, ordered a halt, and made preparations to resist a charge, which he thought would surely come. No charge came, and all was silent in front. The Sergeant ordered an advance, but no enemy was found. They had silently decamped and left no trace behind, and had taken Calhoun and Nevels with them.

Crippled as they were, and the Sergeant suffering [pg 98]terribly from his wound, it was decided it would be madness to pursue with their small force. So one of the men on a swift horse was sent to carry the news to Morgan, while the others followed more leisurely.

When the news reached camp, the greatest excitement prevailed, and every man in the command clamored to be sent to the rescue. Colonel Morgan chose Captain Huffman, who, with thirty of his famous Texan rangers, was soon galloping to the scene of the encounter, under the guidance of the courier who had brought the news. On the way they met Calhoun’s little squad sorrowfully returning. Not a man but begged to be allowed to go with the rescuing party, but this, on account of the tired condition of their horses, and on account of the two wounded men, had to be refused.

It was well along in the afternoon when the theatre of the encounter was reached. Captain Huffman had with him three or four men who for years had been accustomed to Indian fighting in Texas; these men took up the trail and followed it like bloodhounds. After going three or four miles, the advance ran into two men, who sought safety by running into the woods; but a shot in the leg brought one of them down, and he was captured. At first he denied knowing anything of the affair, saying he had heard nothing of a fight. But when Captain Huffman ordered a rope to be brought and it was placed around his neck, he begged pite[pg 99]ously, saying that if they would spare his life he would tell them all he knew. And this is what he told them:

He belonged to a band led by a man known as “Red Bill” from his florid complexion. It was this band that had captured Calhoun and Nevels. It seemed that the officer whom they had captured had known Red Bill in Danville, and taunted him with being a chicken-thief. This so angered Red Bill that he determined to hang the officer. This resulted in a quarrel among the members of the band, many of whom had become tired of the leadership of Red Bill, being fearful that his crimes would bring retribution on their heads. At last it was agreed that the band would disperse, Red Bill, on the promise that he might have the two horses captured, agreeing to deliver the two prisoners to the Federal commander at Frankfort.

“But,” added the prisoner, whose name was Evans, “I doubt if they ever reach Frankfort. I reckon Red Bill will find some means of getting rid of them before he gets there.”

Captain Huffman listened to this story with horror. “If this miscreant makes way with Lieutenant Pennington and Nevels, I will hunt him to his death, if it takes ten years,” he declared. Then turning to Evans, he asked: “Did any of the gang side with Red Bill?”

“Yes, five of them did, and stayed with him,” was the answer.

“And you men, at least twenty of you, by your [pg 100]own story, coolly left our men to be foully murdered?” furiously demanded Captain Huffman.

The prisoner hung his head, but did not answer.

“Answer!” thundered Huffman.

“Red Bill promised to take them to Frankfort,” he at length managed to say.

“And you have just admitted that his promise was worth nothing. Where did this thing occur? Where did you leave Red Bill and his prisoners?” demanded Huffman.

“About three miles from here,” answered Evans.

“Lead us to the place at once.”

“I dare not,” he whimpered; “Red Bill will kill me if I give away the place of rendezvous. We are under a terrible oath not to reveal it.”

“You need not fear Red Bill,” answered Captain Huffman, in ominous tones, “for I am going to hang you. Boys, bring the rope.”

“Mercy! Mercy!” gasped the shivering wretch.

“Then lead us to the place where you left Red Bill, and that quickly.”

“My wound,” he whined, pointing to his leg.

“Bind up his leg,” said Huffman to one of his men.

The wound was rudely dressed, and then Evans was placed on a horse in front of a sturdy trooper.

“Now take us to the place where you left Red Bill, by the shortest and quickest route; you say it is three miles. If we don’t reach it in half an hour, I will hang you like a dog. And,” continued Huffman, to the trooper in front of whom Evans [pg 101]was riding, “blow out his brains at the first sign of treachery.”

For answer the trooper touched his revolver significantly.

After riding swiftly for about two miles, Evans bade them turn into a path which led into the woods. The way became rough and rocky, and their progress was necessarily slower. Evans was in mortal terror lest the half-hour would be up before they could reach the place.

“It is right down thar,” he at length said, pointing down a ravine which led to a stream.

The place was admirably adapted for concealment. On a small level place surrounded by high cliffs stood a tumble-down house. It was shut in from view from every point except the single one on which they stood.

“Leave the horses here,” whispered Huffman, “I think I caught sight of some one down there. We will creep up on them unawares.”

Leaving the horses in charge of ten men, Captain Huffman, with the rest of his force, silently crept down the gorge.