XII
THEstarandthecrescentwereswingingaboveWolf’sHead，andinthedarkhourthatbreaksintodawnacavalcadeofLewallensfordedtheCumberland，andgallopedalongtheStetsonshore。AttheheadrodeyoungJasper，andCrumpthespy。
Swiftchangeshadfollowedthecourt—housefight。InspiteofthedeathofRufeStetsonfromhiswound，andseveralotherStetsonsfromambush，theLewallenshadlostground。OldJasper’sstorehadfallenintothehandsofcreditors—\"furriners\"—fordebts，anditwassaidhishomesteadmustfollow。Inaprivatewaraleadermustbemorethanleader。Hemustfeedandoftenclothehisfollowers，andyoungJasperhadnotthemeanstocarryonthefeud。Thefaminehadmadecorndear。Hecouldfeedneithermannorhorse，andthehiredfeudsmenfellaway，leavingtheLewallensandtheBraytonsandtheirclosekintobattlealone。SoJasperavoidedopencombatandresortedtoambushandsurprise；and，knowinginsomewayeverymovemadebytheStetsons，withgreatdaringandsuccess。Itwaswhispered，too，thathenolongercaredwhoownedwhathemightwantforhimself。Severaldarkdeedsweretracedtohim。Inalittlewhilehewasaterrortogoodcitizens，andfinallyoldGabeaskedaidoftheGovernor。Soldiersfromthesettlementswerelookedforanyday，andbothfactionsknewit。Attheleastthiswoulddelaythewar，andyoungJasperhadgotreadyforalastfight，whichwascloseathand。
Halfamileontheridersswervedintoawoodedslope。Theretheyhidtheirhorsesinthebrush，andclimbedthespurstealthily。Thenakedwoodsshowedthecup—likeshapeofthemountainsthere—abasinfromwhichradiatedupwardwoodedravines，edgedwithribsofrock。InthisbasintheStetsonswereencamped。Thesmokeofafirewasvisibleinthedimmorninglight，andtheLewallensscatteredtosurroundthecamp，buttheeffortwasvain。Apicketsawthecreepingfigures；hisgunechoedawarningfromrocktorock，andwithyellstheLewallensranforward。Romesprangfromhissleepnearthefire，bareheaded，rifleinhand，hisbodyplainagainstahugerock，andthebulletshissedandspatabouthimasheleapedthiswayandthat，firingashesprang，andshoutingforhismen。SteveMarcumaloneanswered。Some，startledfromsleep，hadfledinapanic；somehadrundeeperintothewoodsforshelter。AndbiddingStevesavehimself，Rometurnedupthemountain，runningfromtreetotree，anddroppedunhurtbehindafallenchestnut。OtherStetsons，too，hadturned，andansweringbulletsbegantowhistletotheenemy，buttheywerewidelyseparatedandignorantofoneanother’sposition，andtheLewallensdrovethemonebyonetonewhiding—places，scatteringthemmore。
TohisrightRomesawSteveMarcumspeedlikeashadowupthroughalittleopenspace，buthefearedtomove，forseveralLewallenshadrecognizedhim，andwerewatchinghimalone。Hecouldnotevenfire；attheleastexposuretherewasachorusofbulletsabouthisears。Inamomenttheybegantocomeobliquelyfromeachside—theLewallensweregettingaroundhim。Inamomentmoredeathwassurethere，andonceagainhedartedupthemountain。Thebulletssangafterhimlikemaddenedbees。Hefeltonecuthishatandanotherstinghisleftarm，butheracedup，up，tillthefiringgrewfainterasheclimbed，andceasedaninstantaltogether。Then，stillfartherbelow，cameasuddencrashofreports。Stetsonswerepursuingthemenwhowereafterhim，buthecouldnotjointhem。TheLewallenswerescatteredeverywherebetweenhimandhisownman，andadesccntmightleadhimtothemuzzleofanenemy’sWinchester。Soheclimbedoveraledgeofrockandlaythere，peepingthroughacrevicebetweentwobowlders，gaininghisbreath。Thefiringwasfarbelowhimnow，andwassharp。Evidentlyhispursuersweretoobusydefendingthemselvestothinkfurtherofhim，andhebegantoplanhowheshouldgetbacktohisfriends。Buthekepthidden，and，searchingthecliffsbelowhimforasheltereddescent，hesawsomethinglikeaslouchedhatjustoveralog，scarcelyfiftyfeetbelowhim。