The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1885-04-01

time TO lose; and no spare men to lose
either. Mildmay- guilty or not guiltyP
Smithp The prisoner is guilty of de-
sertion on the m-march. Fifty lashes
in presence Of the regiment And, let
me warn you, what's your name-Pri-
vate Richards it will be death when
we're across the sea- -"
/ Stephen could only stare. "But,
bless you, sir, am not the man!'
"Prove it, then. A surveyorp-a
lawyer, YOU mean. But time precious;
confound you, be quick, and don'twaste
the time Of the court over your pock-
cts"
For Stephen had letters and such like
things about him that would have been
proof; but-hang it all!-they were in
the coat that was at the Half Moon.
Now regimental court-martial dor
such was this tribunaD is notoriously
the most formal and the most just
among all courts where justice is never
allowed to be over-ridden by law or
equity; especially equity. But "Is' is
not "Was," and 1t was "Was" when
Stephen Harlow appeared before Major
Squire. And, though fewer and fewer
can remember them, very queer things
indeed used to be done in marching
regiments in time of war, both at home
and abroad. Over the drumhead no.
body was very precise about forms, and
appeals were seldom made and never
heard. And it so happened that this
regiment was both pressed for time and
short of strength; part of it had already
embarked, and the remainder, under
this Major Squire, was following close
at heel. If
'It's unlucky, but l have not my
pocket-book," said Stephen.
"Deuced unlucky! But don't want
to make any c--founded mistake. Any
body know you in what's this place
Hunchesterp"
Nobody. But in Millport I'm known
as well rs the town clock"
"Ah! How far off S Millport?"
1.-TWO hundred miles. But a letter"
"Oh! A letter would take four days
we must be at sea in two. There,
prisoner. That will do"
Stephen was beginning to feel queer.
He had not seen matters in this light at
all when he had given his clothes to the
real Private Blackthorn and transformed
himself into deserter. Still, il was
monstrous on the face Of it And a
lucky thought came into his mind.
Without putting Farmer Blackthorn
upon the painful scent he was engaged
in keeping from them, and must not,
without utmost need, reveal, he saw
how he could get out of this queer
scrape at once and well.
"a have friend, sir, hard by here-a
responsible man, who will come over
tomorrow and tell you who am; Mr..
Marrish, one Of the leading yeomen OF
this countryside. If l may send him a
message"
One Of the officers whispered word
to the Major, who regarded the prison
er Grossly and doubtfully, with redden-
ing eyes. You're troublesome
rascal" said he, "whoever you are
and il you're lying the Kings got one
bad bargain; and II you're not lying
he's well rid of another. We don
want lawyers against the French; we
want men. Sergeant, see that this fel.
lows message goes tonight. Gentle.
men, one more bottle before turning
in"
No Half Moon tonight. Stephen OBJ.
tanned a split quill and some ink and
water in its native bottle, and, by the
light of a stable lantern, on the corn
bin for desk, wrote:
DEAR MARRIsH: A biundering Irish scr
geant has arrested me for deserter. I'm mis-
taken for another man. And the worst OF the
blunder Is that the regiment is bound for for
eRn service. Come over TO Manchester, pray
at any trouble for which you may reckon OF
my gratltude-for IL Is a serious thlng-anc
come yourself, for have reasons, which yot
shall know hereafter for keeping this mes
secret from the Blackthorns; so, 10 them, no
aword. All ask you 20 do Is TO ask for MaJo
Squire, at tho Bull, Manchester, and TO tel
him that am, your most GRATEFUL
Having given this to the sergean
himself, he found nothing better to d.
than to lie down in the straw and dream
of his Patience till morning found IL
way through the green bottle-ends tina
served to keep out the air. So, as no
body thought Of his needing wash, h,
looked next morning more than eve
like what he seemed TO be.
But they gave him a hunk of breat
for breakfast; and he might have hat
better, and been better waited upon
and better believed besides, If he hat
not transferred his purse as well as hi
pocketbook to Dick Blackthorn. Afte
weary while, during which he vowe,
twenty times never to be good-nature
again, he was about noon, again brough
into the club-room, and confronted wit
the formidable tribunal, now as sobe
as, according to the proverb, all judge
always are. But there, too, Goodness b
thanked! stood Enoch Marrish; tha
was better than well.
, "Mr. what's your-name-"
"Marrish, Major Squire. Enoch Ma
, rish," said the farmer.
, ''Mr. Enoch Marrish," went on th
} Major, with the condescension due froI
! one whose trade was killing to or
whose trade was feeding, i've hay
made inquiries, and learn that you Al
a respectable and responsible man. III
5 prisoner here says you know him.
: that SOP" 81
a Farmer Marrish looked long and sloy
$ ly at Stephen. Then he shook b
4 head.
a mo" said he. If
/, Stephen Harlow started as II the fir
4 Of the fifty lashes had fallen on his ba
n | oho,,ldara