Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1888-12-20
grand charge to break through the opposing


ranks.
Hardly had the command escaped his lips,
than his color-sergeant, q Canadian, fell
MORALLY wounded, grasping the flag he
loved so dearly in his death-stiffened hands;
and even at that supreme moment Of peril
Custer tried to snatch it from his grasp, but,
with the tension of wise, the fingers of the
corpse chung to the flagstaff In vain he
pulled-thcn, quick as a flash, he tore the
silk flag from its pole, pushed it into his
bosom, and dashed forward to the charge
And they got free. They rode right
through the ranks Of the enemy, crushing
by the very impetus of their mad career
the lines that stood in serried ranks before
them. It was glorious feat, but, as the
Frenchman said of BaIaklava, it was no.
war; and, moreover, had it not been for his
success, Custer would have had to pay the
reckoAing of his rccklessness; for he had
rivals in high places, who would have been
by no means sorry to catch him tripping.
That month Harry Winthrop was gazetted
as Major.
He saw nothing, however, of the bloody
fight in, the swamp at Cold Harbor, where
Grant beleaguered Lee. and when, LOSING
asserts, ten thousand Union men We're
killed or wounded in the brief space Of
twenty minutes. He was doing outpost
duty on the banks of the Chicl1ahominy
| river; and, while thus engaged, met with
another adventure which wove q few more
| links in the chain OF my story.
They had camped on the left bank of the
! river under shelter of small wood, which
| stretched from the uplauds to the edge OF
| the stream. Suddenly there was q great
| commotion among the men.
at is a spy, sir, they have caught" said
one of his troopers, by way of explanation,
land the boys Pm afraid are like to handle
1 him a little roughly
! Buckling his sword on, Harry ran to the
scene OF the disturbance.
| 81 caught him, Major. sneaking behind
the brush yonder," cried one brawny fell
| low. whose gnarled fingers clutched the
| collar of the trembling wretch.
"l've seen him more than once hanging
| around, an knew he was after no good, -
| claimed another.
"Shoot himi''
"No, hang him! Shooting's too good for
such villain," were the cries that resound-
| ed on all sides.
The victim of this clamor had been
| dragged through the mud of creek, and
with disheveled hair, torn clothes and
bruised features, it was no wonder that
Winthrop did not at first recognize in the
| dilapidated scare-crow before him the
| Adonis- like figure Of his would-be rival.
| Alphonse Lecroix. But the Canadians
| bright eyes cleaned with hope as he saw
his former friend.
s'Mr. Winthrop" he cried, appealingly,
" for the love of God save me! Tell these
men who am. What! you do not speak I
Will you see me torn to pieces before your
| eyesy"
"Doyou know him, Majors" asked the man
| who held him.
faye, know him, boys" Harry said, re-
| luctantly, for he was by no means pleased
at the role he was compelled by circum-
| stances to assume.
eff we had known he was a friend Of
yours, Major began one, with rough at
| tempt at apology, but Harry cut him short.
"There, loose him. I will be responsible
| for his doing no harm,'' he said. "Now,
| sir, follow me to my tent.''
| Like a beaten hound the Canadian skunk
| at Harry's heels. Already his active brain
| was connecting the lie that would betray
| the man who had saved him.
swell, sir,'' asked Winthrop, sternly.
81 am waiting for the explanation Of your
presence here.''
81 came only to serve you, and I think
am on q FOOLS errand," was the logged re-
| ply, spoken with weI-assumed air of in
| jured innocence.
"To serve mea'
Yes, to serve you; but not for the sake
OF any love bear YOU"
| flo BE Continued