Dodge City times., 1890-12-19

to make sure that he could not be over
heard, then bent towards me and whis-
pered:
''They have taken away my knife;
loan me yours"
l was in the act of putting my hand
into my pocket, when his purpose
struck me, and l withdrew it.
'It is against the rules" said, "for
you to have knife; you cannot expect
me as good soldier to violate them"
''But will not hangr' he said, with
an oath. s'There is way-some way,
to avoid that, and my sister will help
me, if you do notr'
Imade up mind to prevent his suicide.
I tried to soothe him, but was not disap-
pointed at my failure. A man with a
rope about his neck and the gallows in
sight is in no mood to listen to platl-
tudeS.
Promising to spend the night with
him went out to attend to the duties
that had been my excuse for coming to
camp Dick Robinson. Every few min
utes dropped into the telegraph Office
at headquarters in the hope of hearing
that favorable answer had been re-
ceived from Mr.. Lincoln; but ten
o'clock came, with increased wind and
rain, without word that might give
hope to the condemned man.
CHAPTER w.
had no appetite for my supper with
General Boyle. We left the food un-
tasted, while we discussed Frank
Brent's chances.
There are two Kentuckians in Wash
ington," i said, "who should have
weight with the President if they were
to intercede. l am sure they know
Franks kinsmen, if they do not know
him."
"Who are they?' asked the General.
'sTom Speed and Judge-Advocate Gen.
eral Holt"
"By Jove, Captain, did not think Of
them!" exclaimed the old man, as he
started to his feet "Join me in a telc-
graph and we will send it at once"
IN. BAT this time, the word ''tele-
gram" had not come into use.)
We hurried into the telegraph Office,
and within ten minutes the message was
being flashed to Washington, there to
be duplicated and copies sent to Tom
Speed and General Holt
As drowning man Is said to clutch
at . straw, 80 drew comfort from what
we had done and at once went down to
the prison to communicate the fact to
Carrie Brent and her brother.
Ipassed the guards about the enclos-
ure: passed the guard pacing before the
door, and came to halt on the thres-
hold. Within / saw ten soldiers wear
ing their side arms and standing at
parade rest. 1t was my first experience
with a military execution, but did not
need to be told that those men were
the death watch and that they or their
relief would remain with the condemned
man till he stood on the scafold and the
trap was sprung.
Adm lamp, suspended from the heavy,
rough-hewn cross-beams, revealed the
prisoner and his sister seated beneath
it, while in front Of them stood tho old,
white-haired post chaplain, himself q
Kentuckian.
That picture impressed me powerfully.
The rain came down on the shingled
roof with the rattle of . hundred minia-
ture drums to the accompaniment Of
the winds shrill fling. had grown "a
miliar with funeral dirges and hurried
burial services, and although I never
witnessed one unmoved, the most sol.
emn Of them had never Affected mo -
did the preparations for death going
on before my eyes
Many . night when lying near the
mangled dead and listening. to the
heart-rending cries Of the wounded,
have cursed the cruel bafbarities Of
war, and this feeling Of losthing has
grown on me with the years. Az I
looked in at the white face and loved
form of the woman dearer to mo than
life, felt like shrieking out . protest
against ths conditions that. without any
Deserving had osushed her pare, beave