The Grange advance. [volume] (Red Wing, Minn.) 1873-1877, 1876-04-26
\'Well, I don't choose to-" replied

RsiE sheadqqarters im'mnediately - said
/ "That IS swherre5I PROF propose S to ~
you,''s was the response .5 ''That is the
very place for you. You will be.kind
|enoughsto ride 9a5 little ahead me. II
like tosobserVethe shape and style Of
The famous Scout and Wild Rider SS
M Bell rode on as directed, y
n "You will take notice. remarked
Barton. very cody, ':that if you make
any attempt to escape Ishall shoot you
in a twinkling.''
IF you will hand me one of those
pistols, =" answered Bell. 81 should be
glad to reciprocatc the favor.''
When they had started, Barton
said -.
1T may console you, Mr.. Pierson, to
know that have learned enough in
regard to you to hang you ~..~.
s"'The deuce you have!'' said Bell.
sit may console you, Mr.. Barton, to
know that don't fear you or anything
you have learned
'For instance, CAN mention several
occasions when you have called at Gen.
Hulburt's headquarters, said Barton.
Bell was alarmed at this, but lie re-
piled:
t'No doubt you can. OF course 90
there. How else would get passes to
go OH side of the lines?''
Il thought you had an abundance
of blank passes from the government
printing Office
so have, but it is not always con-
venient to get at them: and | some
times go to the Federal headquarters
and get passes outas citizen, as many
others are in the habit of doing every
day.
':And you sometimes find it necessary
to have private interviews with Gen.
Hulburt for that purpose, don't you 2"
said Barton. think 1 can prove that
pretty clearly
swell don't think you can,'' said
Bell. [ must beg to disagree with you.
We will compare notes when we get to
Gen. Chalmers
''Certainly, with the greatest of
pleasure, remarked Barton. Il have
been in Memphis some time taking
notes expressly to present to Gen.
Chalmers.
Bell was satisfied that when they ar
rived in camp, and the information
which Barton possessed was disclosed,
he would be tried as a spy, and most
likely sentenced to death.
They rode on in silence for some
time, and again commenced a CONVEX
sation in the same amiable spirit
which they had previously exhibited.
Barton still had the pistol cooked in
his hand.
Suddenly Bell turned to one side and
looked beyond Barton down the road,
as though something drew his atten-
ton there. Barton also looked around.
In second Bell had drawn the small
pistol from his pantaloons pocket, and
as Barton was again turning his head
to keep his eye on his prisoner, a bull
let was imbedded in his brain.
War is said to be SO great crime
that, while it is in progress, all other
crimes become amendable. Men are
killed by thousands, property is de-
strOyed without limit; Wanton distruc-
ton is the order of the day; ''to the
victors belong the spoils;'' and even
Washington said that the best general
was the one that could deceive the
best. That which ordinarily we
should shudder to hear becomes mcri-
torious in the eyes of men during the
progress of war. The reader is to
Judge how far the necessities of Il
great conflict will Justify deception and
violence which would otherwise merit
the severest censure.
"Well,' thought Bell, 81 connot say
that I like the business [ am in. but
suppose | have saved myself from ar
ignominious death, and may now go on
my way to notify Hurlbut of the in
tended attack on Moscow
The horse started off at wild gallop.
and Bell pursued him several hundred
yards, but was unable to overtake
him. He returned to the spot where
the corpse lay, and dragged it a short
distance into the bushes. He removed
as we'll as he could the traces of the
encounter in the road, sprinkling dust
over the spots of blood.
He then rode on for while, and
turned into the fields so as to enter
Memphis by a different road. lie met
no person on the way. He requested
the pickets to take him to Gen.
Hurlbut, and it was not long before he
obtained an interview with the Gener-
al. lie gave an account of the shoot
ing of Barton, and at his suggestion
a small detachment of cavalry was
sent down the road in the direction of
the place where it occurred, and the
next morning the newspapers con-
tanned Ill item stating that a rebel
scout named Barton, while lurking in
the vicinity Of our lines, had been
pursued by our cavalry and shot while
attempting to escape. The body was
buried by some citizens on the spot
where it was found.
Bell related infinitely to Hurlbut his