The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1886-01-15

there. Before the body had Oeen car
ried far, it had been examined in the
light Of picket fire and no wound or
trace OF violence could bo found.
What was the connection between
the shot at o'clock and PARIS deathp
Had the enemy had anything to do
with it, more than one shot would have
been heard, for all the stragglers were
armed, and, drunk as they may have
been at the time, or rather because
they were drunk, there would have
been a lively fusillade. But ell agree
that there was but one shot
The Pensylvanian writhed in his de-
lirium on the bunk, and was held
down by three men. He appeared to
have no interest in aught but tho hog
goblins and creeping things that as
sailed him in his fancy. But he had
semi rational moments, when he would
sit up and carry on conversation with
himself in muttered, incoherent tones
not easy to understand. And when.
ever he spoke we listened, as if for
revelation. Our only light in the hut
was from single candle set into the
socket of bayonet stuck in the earth
en- floor. From time to time he would
force himself out of the strong hands
that where holding him, and, as he
swung his arms mournfully about, his
shadow and ours would be thrown up
on the rude walls and cotton ceilings
of the hut, making absurd. yet, under
the circumstances, frightful carica-
lures of human suffering. Only once
did he say anything worth while:
"Poor Parr! but l wasn't to blame"
Yes, poor Parr! but who was to blameP
1t was dreadful thing to believe
that murder could have been commit
ted there. among comrades whose
lives were in constant peril for COM
mon cause, even if done in a drunken
brawl. But there was no certainty
that all of the nine had been much in
liquor. AS scanned the faces OF the
other stragglers was puzzled by one
countenance, that of little Welsh
nsan, well knit, about thirty, dark
complexioned, and having pair of
black eyes, which even on ordinary
occasions were full of fire. But now
his eyes glowed like two burning
Goals and his cheeks were ashen white.
His manner and voice were agitated
in the extreme, and to every question
his answer varied but slightly from,
"Look ye, ah know nothin' about it."
The delirlous fellows rawlings had
seemed strange, but now suspicion
was growing that the man who did
the murder, if a murder was done.
was this Welshman, whose violent
temper and vindctive nature were
known to us all.
While the horrible thoughts sug-
gested to my mind by all that had oc.
Cured on this stirring night were
crowding upon me. another Sergeant
relieved me with orders to take the
stragglers to the shanties, all out the
Pennsylvania, who could not be re-
moved.
In hollow place behind the shan
| ties burned the great fire where the
company's cooking was done. Its
glare was hidden from distant OBJ
servers, and the wind kept off by the
shanties IN front and tho ridge which
rose steeply behind, and at each end
was shaded by screens of laurel bushes
interlaced with pine branches. In tho
open space before the prlght embers
that sparkled against a huge back
log, the men gathered to while away
the long evenings until the hour
camo to '.turn in'' for sleep. Many
of the soldiers were stripliugs, not
yet out of their teens. But there
were some there in the groups that
used to stretch thel feet into the ashes
| before that fire who could no doubt
have told stranger tales than any they
told, had they been so inclined; half
| grizzled waits from various parts of the
| world, veterans of European, Asian and
african wars; sailors who had sailed
in all the known seas-one of these
| had made several slave VOYAGES, an
other had been an accomplice in fa-
nous mutiny where the crew killed its
master and mates were running the
| ship off to turn her into a pirate when
overtaken and captured by an Ameri-
can man-of-war. There we're the fag-
ends of humanity enlisted for pelf and
| from hatred of work, and associated
with honest and patriotic mon. Like
some of the crusaders of old they
were fighting for meat and drink. and
pay, in glorious cause. Yet, mer-
cenaries as many of these men were,
and frankly acknowledged themselves
to be, they were mostly brave and
were loyal to the flag they had chosen
| to follow. And over us all was cap
captain who was an earnest man in the
cause Of the Union, gallant and
skillful soldier, very pious withal, and
a great hater of Intoxicating drink.
In front of the fire, within semi
circle formed by all of us at tho shan
/ ties, lay PARIS body, decently stretch
ed out on the blanket in which he had
been brought across the bridge. Fifty
/ faces looked down upon thcir dead
comrades rugged face. Parr was a
/ finely shaped man with strong but
good features, and, in sailor fashion,
for he had been 8 man-o'war's man,
he wore thick beard enclrcling his
4 throat from ear to ear, the rest of his
4 face being shaved smooth. There was
no sign about him that we could see
4 of violent death. He was scarcely
even paler than usual. Tho captain
ordered the stragglers placed IN the
front rank, of the semi-circle, and in
his Indignation burst into a scathing
harangue against drinking.
The Welshman. however, drew the
covert scrutiny Of all by his behavior.
He shook violently as his eyes search
gu III INC ldctS aDout tne ring, aHu
it was noticed that never once did he
let his turn toward PARIS body. But
while The captain was at the height of
his eloquence. pointing to the lesson
Of total abstinence to he drawn from
the tragical incident, one, of the strag-
glers, a very loquacious fellow, of an
envious mind and bitter dislikes. had
been uneasily watching tho Welsh
man. Suddenly, as if by an instinct,
he rushed over to the body, and kneel.
ing. down beside it, called the first
lieutenant's attention to something
under PARIS beard. 1t was three.
cornered cash sinking deep into the
throat. At the exposure of this
| .u.....l .a... L. 4La 60 A;.aa -