The Sunday morning news. [volume] (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1886-1891, 1890-07-13
CHAPTEGE.
snoorINa Tan s0prosED So.


The place selected for the execution of
the death sentence on Oliver Willett was
in a grove two miles from the town. The
motive in the selection was to have the
/ spot as near as possible to the section in
habited by southern sympathizers, that
the fate of the supposed spy might read
lily become known among them. The
first OF &aose directly interested in the
event to arrive on the ground was Mrs.
and she reached it by a detour on her
feet horse ahead of the soldiers afoot.
She sat still onh her horse, and hearing the
birds sing, fell to maryeling that they
sang at such a dreadful time. Pleasant
sounds seemed to her shamefully out of
keeping with the occasion. She tried to
devise a plan of action on behalf of her
lover. One thing alone she had not con-
fessed to her husband that divers love
of her had been refrigerated by her.
Should she publicly ayow it? What good
would it do?
You here, Ina'am?a
She turned and saw Sergt. Erickson.
He was soldier Of the regular army, and
had for several years been in her hus-
bands regiment, He continued: s'You
will be seen if you stay. The prisoner
and the squad-tlae firing squad, ma'a
aren't more'n five minutes away. Your
husbands coming too. I beg pardon, but
/ | didn't suppose you wanted him to find
you here.
81 do not care" she said irnpassively.
ssWell. na'am, you said-at least 1
know young Willett's your lover, and
t.
You are ready enough to ascribe the
worst to my, interest in him. wish my
husband would be as uncharitable.
She was speaking meditatively, but
seeing that her words puzzled the SER
geanf, she added: II would at this instans
gige all possess for proof of what you
are SO ready to believe.
Il can give it to you, and the sergeant
displayed the letter that had drawn
Oliver to the city, that had been partly
| burned and hidden, and thai he had given
to Maj. Dimmock. he held it up so that
Mrs. Armytage could see it, and asked,
isn't this your letter to your loverfv
Eyes, yes, she eagerl answered.
How did you get it.
II got it where he hid it after he had
ried to burn it.
ssG4ive it to met She reached for it.
| tus he drew it away.
Excuse me, ma am. Tn man that
stes an unexpected chance before him to
rise in the world. l did a service for you
last night, and you're under promise to
pay me-to pay me with promotion in
thu army. l let you get to the prisoner,
/ who was in my charge, and you agreed
to have your husband make a captain
of me-
ssAnd l viii keep my promise"
sTve got no right to doubt you, ma'am;
but mans first dutyis to look out for
his own interest. That mayn't be Scrip
ture, but it's sense. To put it plain, I"
and here he rested his hand on his
horses name, and went closer to her,
at seems to me as if this letters kind
of a written note. payable on demand
/ payable in promotion on demand. OF
/ course don't understand it all, but do
know. this is a love letter from Col Ar
W AlC W tAAA0 CAAiAea AA%tAA NA4eAe .
going to be shot. Before got it had
your bare word that I'd be made u cap
tain. Now l hold something that'n COM
| pei you to keep your promise.
Sergeant, hear me-" There was not
a trace Of discomposure in her manner,
but her brilliant eyes seemed to the SOL
der to be blazing at him. you reason
shrewdly, yet you are at fault You
think dread your showing that letter
to my husband. You are mistaken. IL
had it, would put it in his hands my
self. The man they are going to shoot
is not a spy. lie came to meet me, and
he is going to die because he has sup
pressed this evidence. That letter Is
proof Of the truth, and 1 would use it il
l could, for his salvation and my de-
str1ction.
..Your dcstruction?"
eyes; but what Of that.
"I'll tell YOU what Of it, ma'am, as
fars it concerns rac, The sergeant had
been dumfoundedat first by her avowal,
but he had, nevertheless, comprehended
the new bearing Of the letter. IF your