Dodge City times., 1890-12-12

nothing to confirm it,.
"Then there is no hope for him?"
tsI fear not" said the General, COM
pressing his lips and shaking his head.
"But," he added, after a pause, 81 am
making an effort to get the date Of the
sentence postponed"
"What have you done?'
81 have telcgraphed the President and
am expecting reply at any moment"
sAnd if q favorable answer does not
come by tomorrow morniD~?"
ssThen," said the General solemnly.
81 must do my duty as soldier; in
deed, am powerless to stay the execu-
tion.''
And Miss Brent is here?"
'Yes, poor girl. l have given her my
private quarters. You will find her
there or at the prison." replied the Cen
eral.
Feeling my helplessness more than
ever, and dreading the meeting, which
l had recently been SO anxious to bring
about, ] went to the Generals quarters,
whittier the boy, Ike, had preceded me.
will confess to having trembled and
felt nervous when in the past 1 heard
the irregular rattle of rifles along the
skirmish line, that always impressed
me like prelude to the opera of death;
but such experiences were calmness
itself compared with my sensations on
once more standing in the presence of
the girl, who, from the hour of our
cruel parting under the locust and tulip
trees before her mothers house, had
new been out of my heart.
1t is not love that leads me to extol
Carrie Brent; for in a land famed for the
beauty of its women she was an ac-
knowledged belle. Two years had
passed since last we met, years of march
and battle, that had solaced and aged
me, and changed my character from a
light-hearted boy to that of bronzed
and bearded man whose soul was atlame
with sense of duty and desire to
bring about peace with Union-that or
an eternity of war.
had made up my mind to stand on my
dignity. l recalled the last words had
heard from her lips, words that cut me
and panied me more cruelty than the
she'll, which subsequently at Benton
vile tore off my right arm; ''Go, Harry
Watts, and join the Lincoln hirelings if
you will, but after you have taken that
step / wish never to see your face
again"
repeated these words to myself, as
neared the place where I knew 1 should
find Carrie, for she was beckoning to
me as 1 approached. But when saw
the beautiful, pale face and the express
sion of unutterable woe in her eyes, 1
forgot the dignity had promised my
self, forgot the indignity with which
she had dismissed me, and feeling only
that on my side at least, the love of
our early association had survived the
parting, reached out both hands and
said, huskily:
Il got your letter, Carrie, and have
come"
She gave me her right hand, and 1
could see in the half-averted face
the struggle between pride and feel
ing. She made an effort to speak, but,
overcome by her emotions, she dropped
into chair and covered her face with
her hands.
heard her low moaning, while her
slender form swa, ed as if she would
rock her agony to rest; this and the tears
pouring through her little white fingers
and falling on her heaving breast un-
nerved me more than tho unexpected
appearance of all Bragg's army could
| have DONE
A man never appreciates his want of
power or realizes how utterly helpless it
is possible for him to become SO much
as when he tries to check the flow Of a
beautiful woman's tears. By an effort
of will, rather than because Of my we'll
meant attempt to pacify her, Carrie
Brent brushed the tears from her cheeks,
and, springing to her feet, cried out in q
voice full of pleading and passion:
"Oh, Captain Watts, save my brother!
Do not let your people become his muir.
derersr'
Feeling that it would be cruel to re.
peat to her what General Boyle had
told me or to assure her Of my own ina.
bility to assist her, l said, vaguely:
"For your sake and your mothers, al
well as in the interest of humanity, you
may depend on my doing every thing in
my power for your brother. But 1 should
like to ask what you know about his
case"
81 can tell you Franks story Is he
told it TO me, and never knew him Il
lie, !" she replied.
''Is it not true that Frank was in cit
izsn's dress when captured?" asked.
''It is; but you should know how diff
ncult-how even impossible is fol
Confederate soldiers to secure proper
uniforms, Go to camp Chase, or look al
the prisoners recently brought here, and
you will see that, although captured in
battle, not one-half of them are in uni
form" she said.
l was forced to confess that il had
been on the court-martial I should moi
have paid much heed to the dress woru
by the prisoner at the time of his capt
ure; and although I did not tell her So
I was very sure that the officers who
tried Frank Brent were not Influenced
in their verdict by the fact Of his NO,
being in uniform.
"His command" I said, 'sis reported
to be down near Cumberland Gap. How
does he explain his being two hundred
miles away from it and within our lines
when captured?"
81 will eonoede that he was rash in
coming into this part Of the State Is he
did" she answered promptly; ''but his
purpose was mot TO play the spy"
"Whss then vas his parposs?'
"You know Miss Matte Vssnon and
her family ct versailles?"
"Yes, very we'll"
''And you may have heard that since
oven before the trouble Frank has been
devoted to herr"
had heard something Of this, but
] also knew that Miss Vernon and her
1anilg vsss IN favse ef The Uaiea and