Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1868-06-18
NO. 90.

.... ,> NO. 25.s
or. Show. hin, to me, and Twill inquire into it
and find on whom the fault rests. " "a gs.t
8 Winking to q group Of soldiers standing sf9und-
80 silly however, as MOTTO be detected BY the quick
glance of the Leutenant-Brack. followed by the
indignant officer, and crowd of idlers, who were
lounging about, led the way to q line Of tents a.
bout q hundred yards to the rear, -.
Just in front Of the tents stood log some eight
or ten inches in diameter elevated, Ikea bench on
legs some eight feet high. It he'd been erected IS
Kind Of pillory for offenders, and was known
throughout the camp, as ''the Confederate gray.
'There, Lieutenant, 'said Brack, hating before
it, and cackling with laughter at his jest there's
the hoss. Brack was on the point Of bursting
into roar of laughter, but it died in his throat
when his glance met the grave and stern eye offhis
lieutenant. .aa,.. n - - 80 -;
Come here, Sergeant" called MeGregGr, beck
oning to 9 subaltern. who happened 70 be near.
Brack, at your leisure. - g, ~, .. f.r,-,i
Now, Just one moment, ii you please, Lieu
tenant, > cried BracEs ii the most winning and ex-
postuhtory tonesa didn, mean it out Of any
harm; on my word nov, Iieutenapts Irealy didn't.
Itwas only d lest, Lieutenant hing but pure
lest, tomake youiaush. 81 Nov; don tmske them
put'rnenp here, for Heaven, sake don't Stop'a
moment, men, cried he, as they began to force
him up the ladder that rested against one end of
the log; and with each step IS he mounted, be
turned an imploring look towards the Eieutenant,
who, with folded arms, stood looking very gaEey
and TRANQUILITY on some few feet distant The ges.
ticuatons expostulatory cries, and expressions OF
face of the unfortunate man, we're comic and anu
sing to the last degree as he struggled to gain the
ear and excite the pity Of his commander, while
the file of soldiers compelled him to mount higher
and higher, until at last he was, despite himself,
fairly astride the hard-backed Confederate gray
Il think, now, Lieutenant, said Brack, when
he was fairly astride, with amost imploring look at
his commander, and dyingefort TO excite his
mirthfuness and commisserahon, that this Is
carrying the joke far enough. ] hope, Lieutenant,
that it's only very short ride you mean me to
take on 80 thin an animal. s.,---,.., =
>"Put sentinel here, Sergeant, said Mc3regor,
unheeding the appeal of the offender, and see
that Nicholas Brack continues his ride until sunset,
unless should, before that hour, send orders for
his relief In that event put him in the guard
house, and await further orders. p 2S'rssla
Having delivered this curt order, the lieutenant
gravey turned upon his heel and walked away,
leaving Brack dealing out his wittcisms from the
back Of the Confederate gray, to group OF
idlers who had gathered around and excited him
to new efforts by their rejoindera .3.
There was not even Pickering smile upon the
lips of the Lieutenant during this scene There
was, at the same time, q calm seriousness in his
stern blue eye that made it manifest there was no
anger or bitterness in his sentence. There was no
fiVoity or trhing in his earnest and manly nature
and the stern trials and drugged scenes OF warfare in
which thelast two yeasof his life had been passed,
were not calculated to foster levity of conduct.
A couple of horses stood saddled near his tent,
and he pointed out one to Victor, as destined tor
his use. w
1--WE will nov ride into the city, I" said be. to
Victor, land endeavor to trace up this mythical
lsolette,whose tolls are thrown around us When
we reach the city, and have put our horses IN q
safe place, we will separate and go, each one an
sou one, to beat the bush for our game. Whereis
the friend you had with you yesterday, wish
him with us-he seems man to be relied on
Victor called to Harvey Haley, who was but a
few rods of, and he promptly came forward. The
lieutenant gave him written orders for his direction
and then, accompanied by Victor, mounted his
horse and rode towards the city. 1t was but short
gallop from the camp to the city. and having put
their horses in an unoccupied stable, near which
some soldiers were on post, guarding government
stores, Victor and the lieutenant separated to in
stitute their inquiries after Isolette. - -.
Lieutenant McGregor obtained access to the
books of the tax-collector and city register, but
there was no such name as Isoette upon their lists.
He consulted one or two of the oldest lawyers re-
naming in the city, but theyeould give him no in.
formation of any person who bore that appelation,
either as given name or patronymlc A few OF
the leading merchants, with whom he was init
mateIy acquainted, were likewise cautiously sound
ed with similar want Of success.
So far as Victor was concerned, his field Of en-
auiry was very narrow one. His chief acqualn.
tances in the city were youths like himself, who had
left behind them father and mother, and were ar
|rayed in that host Of men of martyr-like spirits,
who were contending for their birthrght, the
priceless Heirloom Of an heroic ancestry. There
were, indeed, others of maturer age. and high
social position whom he knew, but the great ma
ority of this class were scattered and gone, living
in humble and obscure places of refuge, in the in
terror of the State, upon diminished and scanty
resources. So small were the probabilities Of his
success in the attempt to trace out the ering wo-
man, who was plunging dagger into the vitals OF
her country in its hour Of afdiction, that ne tet
discouraged from the attempt and was almost dis
posed to turn away in despair, from an underta-
king in which there was not ray of hope to cheer
him. He had been so fortunate as to. obtain the
clue to plot, which others, more experienced than
himself, were diligently engaged in following up,
and if they could not succeed, there appeared to
him but faint prospect that he, SO inexperienced,
uninhuential and destitute Of all advantages could
do otherwise than fail.
While wandering along the streets Of the city,
undecided, perplexed and almostwithout an object,
Victor UNEXPECTEDLY found himself, near the man.
sion whittier, the day before he had driven the Ia
dies whom he had been so fortunate as to aid in
their danger. He called to mind their cordial In
yitatiop, and remembered his promise to pay his
respects to them, at an early day. 1t occurred to
him that it would not be out OF place, to call at
once upon them with kindly inquiries as to their
welfare, since recevingso violent shock. Polite
ness, indeed required it, and their invitation was
so cordially given that he felt it would not be an
Intrusion to make an immediate call As he
neared the house he walked along with slower
stem. debating with himself the propnety Of doing
so at once. He shrank with intuitive delicacy
from claiming right to intrude himself upon their
society. on account Of any service he had done
them. He would have felt much less embarrass-
lent ir calling upon them, had their acquaintance
been preceded by no such signal service, as ne had
rendered. He was stranger to them and shrank
from presuming upon the casual acquaintance
brought about so fortuitously. Nevertheless, when
he found himself at the very door OF their resi-
dence, with it's small but tasteful garden OF shrub
bery before him, and recalled the rare beauty OF the
retiring maiden, whose life he had probably saved,
a desire once more TO crafty himself BY breathing
the same atmosphere with one who had charmed
him so much, overcame all other considerations,
and he lifted the latch of the gate and entered
Sweet-very sweet to the heart IS its frst and