The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1867-02-04
THE QUAKER's LEGACY.
An English Engineers Ad-
ventures in Missouri.
CopclusioR.1 I


struggled, and called TO my late fel-
low-travelers for assistance, also, aP-
pealing to the dragons, and demand,
ing that at any rate proceedings should
be stayed until the return of Lieutenant
Harris. :,
One or two of the more humane trad
ers yentured to demonstrate in my De
half, but their arguments were derlded
and the soldiers were too few to exerl
any authority, and were also reluctant
to act without orders. Meanwhile d
rope, in which q slip-knot had beer
hastily made, was flung over the lowest
bough of a gigantic oak, and the execu
tioner began to remove my cravat, anG
to adjust the moose round my neck.
shuddered as felt the wretch's clammy
fingers touch me, and again L made an
effort to mollify the blind anger Of the
crowd. 1t was in vain. 81
"Hansen, Brooks, Back, and you, Del,
aware Jem, catch hold of the rope, and
when l give the word, up with the spy,
ordered the chief ,of>the jsyhawkers
"Now You Bates, say prayer If you
know one, afofe we" .t.
"Before you murder an innocent man,
1 gasped out in my desperation; better
plead before wild beasts than such as
"One, two, three! Up with the skunk!
interrupted COwell; but as the mel
were gathering mp the cord and calling
out to the bystanders to clear the way
for run, there was tramPling OF
horse, and a cry of "Hyar's the lieuten'
antw And pause ensued as Lieuten'
ant Harris pushed his steaming horse
through the mob, followed by his dra
gOons.
"In the name of the United States
Government, hold your hands there" he
cried; "drop that rope, or l swear I'll
blow your brains out, as sure as my
names Lieutenant Harris. Are you al
madi 'Rebelr 'Spyr What nonsense
have you got hold ofi This gentleman
is British subject, and no more Nicl
Bates than he is Abe Lincoln. Let &c
that rope, You cowardly copper-skinned
scoundrel"
The last thing l remember was the
loosening Of the accursed moose round
my neck, and then my overstrainet
nerves gave way, and l dropped faintinl
as they removed me from sthe spot
When my senses returned / was lying
on the moss at the foot of a tree, anC
Harris was holding pannikin of whis
ky to my lips. His good-natured smile
reassured me.
"Better now, Mr.. Hepton" said the
young officer. "YOu are safe, am glaC
to say, but few minutes delay would
have been awkward. They have taker
my word that you are not the man the!
believed you to be, but the carrying O
dispatches is not so easily got over.
have had to pledge my honor that you
shall be sent n prisoner to Jefferson, t.
be dealt with rs General SchotelC
pleases. So far as can make out from
the confused story l have heard, youl
old quaker, the sOi-diSdnt Gideon Pell
must have been Bates himself, who as
sumed this disguise to make catspaw
of you, aud"
But his daughter" exclaimed, as &
new light broke in upon me, pretty
demure little Ruth, you cannot meal
that She"
Daughter" said Harris, laughing
heartily, "Bates has no daughter that
know of. He is not much more thar
thirty years of age, though he is an ad
mirable actor, and makes mp so as Il
pass for Methuselah on occasion, and
suspect that he favored you with taste
of his equality. His young wife, clev
er Secesh lady, have heard described
as pretty, slender little thing, with
blue eyes"
groaned and turned away. / hat
heard enough, and the perfidy of which
/ had been the victim was clearly re
vealed. My life was saved, bat my
journey was interrupted, for / was Sent
under guard to Jefferson, and aftel
several tedious examinations before au
thorities, civil and military, was con
Quoted to the frontier of the United
States territory, and thrust across il
with an injunction never to return
The warning was not one to be disre
garded, and what was the ultimate fate
of the silver mines in Arizona ! have not
the slightest idea. At any rate they had
another manager than George Hepton
British subject.