While this was not the concluding chapter, or the end of my dealings, either by way of experience or adventure with these deserters, or all that was likely to grow out of it, I felt that much of the burden had been lifted. The long chase in the howling "Norther". The novelty of our night at "Rhodes Ranch"--with seven people, including the crying baby, and the three dogs in a one room "shack" to keep us from perishing; sliding and skating over the desolate solitude, wind-swept and ice crusted; the two long, weary nights among the dens, dives and slums of Weatherford and Cleburne with my optimistic, jovial, joking--Musketeer Corporal; the all night study of the map--the one-legged, "_Johnny driver_" with his friendly Gettysburg battle-field reminiscing that came so near losing me the fruits of a night's hard labor--and uncertainty of plans in the early morning at the latter town;--the exciting, thrilling--almost spectacular capture of the men in the brush near Hillsboro; the bluff and threat of the wagon master; the novelty of a Texas log jail with its forbidding exterior and interior, but sheltering walls; the little, panic-stricken wagoner; the indictment of all the citizens implicated in their escape and temporary release under the stimulus of "blood money"; the "squealing" of Crafts on the concealment of the arms; the identification of the raw recruits;--the encounter with the fighting termagants at Hardin's Ranch; the hasty return of the carbines by the "old man" who would "lick you uns outen yer boots"; the commendations and warm personal thanks of Generals Mackenzie and Hardie; the letter of thanks and congratulations from the Major-General Commanding the Department of Texas; all were now over, and I could at last, heave a great sigh of relief--and for a few days, at least, indulge in a brief period of well earned rest. It is believed that this march of over 200 miles in the dead of winter, during an unprecedented severe "Norther" (10 deg. below zero) with sleet, snow, hail and ice almost thick enough to bear the weight of our horses, and for a part of the time in jeopardy of our lives--the capture of these ten (10) men with all of their arms and safe delivery into a military post, and the apprehension and indictment of the three (3) civilians for their share in the adventure--stands on record as the most complete and wide-sweeping "round up" of deserters, under all of the circumstances, ever known in the official Military Annals of the Department of Texas, if not in the entire United States Army-- At all events, in any way it may be summed up, it was a most remarkable and "Phenomenal Capture". Transcriber's Notes 1. Several typos have been corrected. The exception to this is when the same word was misspelled more than once (e. g. "guage"). 2. The word "coup d'oeuil" uses an oe ligature in the original.