The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1885-04-23

Two hundred miles. But letter.
ooh. A letter would take four DAYS
we must be It sea II two. There,
prisoner. That will de-
Stephen was beginning 10 feel queer.
He had not seen mater; in this light At
all w1en he had given hs clothes TO the
real Private BlackthOr1 and transformed
himself N q dcserser. Soil, il Was
monstrouS Oh the f4co of it. And a
lucky thought came into his mind.
Without putting Farmer Bl2ckthorn
upon the painful sc mt he was engaged
in keeping from them, and must not,
withOu: mos need, reveal. he saw
how he could get oIt of this queer
scrape At once and wei.
81 have friend, s;r. hard by herc-a
responsible man, who will come over
Tomorrow and tell you who am; Mr..
Marri5h. one of the leading ycomen of
this countryside If may send him a
message ~
One of the officers whispered word
to the 3iajor. who regarded the prison
er Grossly and doub.fully, with redden-
ing eyes. You're a troublesome
rascal" said he, whoever you are;
and if YOU re lying the Kings got one
bad bargain; and if you're not lying
he's well rid of another. We doa
want lawyers aga.n,t the French; we
wan. men. Sergeant, see that this fell
lows message goes tonight. Gentle
men. one more bottle before turning
in"
No Half Noon tonight. Stephen OBJ
tanned split gall and some ink and
water in its native bottle, and. by the
lish- OF a stable lantern, on the corn
bin fer desk. wrote:
DEAR NARRISH: \ laundering Irish SER
ge3nt mas arrested me for a deSerter. / IN mis-
taken for another ma1. And the worst of the
bluHd-r l. that the regiment ~ bound Tor Tor
eiGu service. Come over To Huncheeter, pray.
at amy trouble. for which you may recKon on
my sratItudc-for it Is A serious thI1S-and
come yourself for have TcaSODs. which YOU
shall know iercAtrer. for keeping this mess
secret from tae BlilckthOrnS; 20, TO them. not
4 word All ask You 10 do is 20 ask for mayor
Squire nj TIE ButL Manchester. and to tell
him tn II aII, your most grateful,
SrnrHEa HARLOW"
Having given this to the sergeant
himself. he founi nothing better to do
than To lie Gown in the straw aud dream
of MS Patience til morning found its
way through The green bo.tle-ends that
served to keen out the air. So, Is no.
body thought Of his needing wash, he
locke d next mOrhing more than ever
Ike what he seemed to b..
But they gave him hunk OF bread
for breakfast; and he mi2h. have had
better. aal ben better waited upon,
and b tier briievcd besides, if he had
not transferred his purse n well a his
pockctAOok 10 Dick BlackthOrn. After
a weary while, during which he vowed
twenty tines never - be good-nsturci
again. he was about noon. again brought
into the clu3-rOom, and confronted with
the form .dablc tribunal, now as sober
a., according to the proyrrb. all judges
always are. But there, 100, Goodness be
thanked. stood En0ch Marr.Sh; that
was better than well.
Mr. what's vOur-namc-"
'.Marri,h, Major Squire. Enoch Mar
rish,' said the farmer.
MIR EnOch NarriSh." went on the
Major. with the conde5cension due from
one whose trade was killing TO one
whose trade was feeding. I'VE have
made inquiries. and learn that you are
Il respectable ami responsible man. The
pr soncr here says You know hiEl. Is
that so?"
Farmer Marrish looked long and slow
" at Stephen. Then be shook his
head.
No" said he.
Stephen Harrow started IS if the first
If the fifty lashes had fallen on his bare
shoulders.
Good Col, Marrish"" he cried ont,
''thiS is no joking matter! What DO you
mean
The farmer shook his head again; and
that was all.