The Dickinson press., 1883-09-15

pering voices organized a drum-head
court. martial. The colonel presented
the name of the suspect and then his
proofs. In the ballot that followed each
of the six voted guilty" aNow," said
the colonel, this not a farce. We must
vote a sentence, and then we must ex-
ecute it." every WE'LL" said the next
man. "Well" said the colored colonel,
~ vote Tor death. The wretch deserves
it." $50 do l." said the next, and so on
down to the sixth-a Pennsylvania ma
jor.. He knew the culprit, q Pennsyl-
vanian like himself. better than the
rest: He know that he was quite ca
Fable OF the crime charged against him.
He had no doubt of his guilt. He want
ed to see him punished. He said all
and then he added: "But you know we
are not a legal court-martial. We have
no authority to act-certainly no author
ity to kill. We may slit the evidence
presented against a man for our own
satisfaction, but We cannot sentence,
much less kill him. The most We can
DO is to prefer charges against him in
Suddenly interrupting himself, he
said; Colonel, what's that in your
hand?" The rope" said the colonel
grimly; GIVE been plating it rs we
talked" AMI he passed it around. He
had taken an old shirt, torn into mar
row strips, and woven it into something
that looked like a rope, "Now, MAJOR"
he said. when it was handed back to
him, "What you have said is all very
we'll. 1t does credit to your hearts well
as to your head, but you're out-voted;
the majority is against you. The sen.
tence OF the coutt is that the scoundrel
shall die, and die he will this minute,
tain" he said to the brawny
strangle him in his sleep, would you?"
asked the major, also on his feet as the
others moved toward the sleeping form
OF the traitor. Certainly" wi ispered
the colonel, "why not? He can't pray,
and we can't have ally noise" You
never WILL" said the major, firmly, get
ting in front of the colonel; 81 won't let
you-you'll have to kill me frst-I won't
stand by and see you stain your honest
hands with his dishonest blood in such a
way as that. Why, man it would be
murder. You would be a murderer, I
won't permit it," Gliding softly before
the rest, he reached the sleeping man,
and sat down beside his head. There he
sat till the gray morning came stealingin
through the chilly atmosphere. Long
before that timethe colonel and his COM
panions, baf1leG and disguised, had stol-
en- away to their slesping-places, carry
ing the plated rope with them. Assoon
as the major could see the traitors face
in the dim light of the dawn, he walked
him and told him all that
had occurred. CHOW, SIR" he sud
sternly, 81 saved your life last night. all
though I believed you worthy of death.
l WON'T do it again. ] saved your life
for my sake, not for yours. My advice
to you is that as o o as the guard comes
in for roll-call you get out of Libby, and
as soon as you get to Washington get
out of the army. If you're in the army
when 1 get out. I'll prefer charges
against you, and if l meet you I'll kill
you" Trembling with excitement, the
wretch, without a word of denial OF pal:
l%iation, got up, and as soon as the guard
came in got out. The stalwart six tor.
warded charges against him from Libby
When they got out of prison they found
him out of the army, so they dropped
the matter. The traitor is in the army
now, reinstated by act of congress, l be-
lieve; but the major who promised te
kill him on sight is under the green soc
Of the prairie. Still, the colonel would
make things lively for the traitor if they
met faee to face.