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Then I heard the barking scalp-yelp break out, and a store a loall of brown vapor, which lingered as though glued to the herbage; and through it, red as candle-fla flicker of the rifles played, and the old tavern rang with leaden hail Suddenly the fusillade ceased Far away I heard a ranger's whistle calling, calling persistently

Weht fire, and an ohtened

Behind , ed to run a the besides the forest to shoot at The interior of the tavern was thick with powder-s all around ood view of thethe red stubble-fields north of Warren's barn--so in columns of fours, rifles atrail, south by east Toaround us on a dog-trot, still out of range, pressing steadily forward across the rising ground Then suddenly I co for Oshen there was pri and plunder a-plenty to be had in the Valley They were headed for Johnstohere the vultures were already gathering

Old We open the door to watch them I followed, rifle in hand, and we sped hotfoot across the stuh, there they were in the distance, hastening away to the southward at a long, swinging lope, like a pack of tiht and then strike out for Saratoga with all your people," I said hurriedly "They're gone, and I oin', sir?" quavered the oldsettle down his cheeks

"Oh, Lord! Thy will be done--I guess," he said

Farris, Warren, and Klock came up on the run I pointed at the distant forest, into which the coluht," I said hoarsely; "thereabout until one by sunrise Good-by, lads!"

One by one they extended their powder-blackened, labor-torn hands, then turned away in silence toward the conflagration below, to face winter in the wilderness without a roof