The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1891-07-02

NO, no." came from n score OF
threats.
So they dug grave and laid the hero
in it-a touching incident, though his
only requiem was salute fired by the
| hands of his enemies At the head of the
grave they placed rough board, with
rudcly-paintcd characters, which read:
''nERE LIES THE BoDf or
COLONEL ROBINSON.
VINO FELL AT THE BATTLE or
STONE RIVER
CLORIoUsLY LEADING THE
SECOND TEXAS REGIMENT
TIE WAS BURIED nv
EsIoa sotDtERs,
IN RECOGNITION or ITS HERoIsM.'
Rude as the tablet was, simple as the
neatly-roundcd grave looked by the
lantern light, Frank thought that many
grand mausoleum would bear but poor
comparison beside that humble tribute
to brave mans memory, even though
the first blasts Of winter would destroy
the rough memcnto.
That night they slept upon the battle
field.
Now, it must not be supposed that
Charlie Fulton's absence from his post
had not caused CONSERVATION among his
comrades and intense distress to his
father. None, however. but Major
Hopkins and Frank Bcsant had attrib-
uted suspicious motives to his disap-
pearance, and you may be assured that
they kept their own counsel, jealous Of
their comrades honor and mindful OF
their Colonel. whose heart they knew
would be broken If his boy fell into dis
grace, SO it was generally accepted that
he had ridden farther than was prudent
and had fallen into the tolls Of the en-
envy. But the Major and Frank had
drawn the worst conclusions, especially
when the latter learned from the pick
cts the direction the absentee had taken
when he started on the journey from
which he had never returned Besant
hoped against hope. but Hopkins vowed
that he had sold himself body and soul
for a pretty face, and had gone over TO
the enemy.
''He always had preposterous ideas
of Southern chivalry," the Major said,
and it only wanted the witchery of
this woman to tip the scale of his I'M
balanced mind and land him headlong
in ruin" supposition the younger man
had not the courage to controvert.
1t can readily be imagined, then, how
his heart beat with renewed hope when
on the afternoon Of the Sd, while a
fearful storm was raging, which will
never be forgotten by those who
man crcpt into camp, anxiously In
quiring for him. lie bore letter
written on q crumpled leaf of paper
and inclosed In an empty rife cartridge
shell, which the wary messenger had
carried in his mouth for security's sake
and which he gravely assured Frank he
would have swallowed If he had been
caught by the enemy.
Hastily unfolding it, Besant read the
penciled lines:
FRIEND FRANK: I have been for some
weeks prisoner. This morning they moved
me from Murfreesboro to mill four miles
down the river from your camp. We are only
under guard OF eight men and . sergeant,
besides some invalids, who won't count in .
| scrimmage. You and dozen boys of the
Fourth might readily effect rescue II you
think me worth the risk. Bragg has given or
| ders for retreat NJ daybreak, SO II you don't
hurry It will be all up with your unfortunate
| friend, CHARLIE FULTON"
Rewarding the faithful negro beyond
his widest expectations. Frank hurried
to the Major with his glad tidings, but
to his surprise his senior evinced no
especial signs of qualification.
''You are little too sanguinc, Frank,
my boy he said, gravely, "but though
we are relieved of the pain of believing
the young man is voluntarily absen:
from our ranks. the onus yet remains
on him to prove how innoccntly he fell
into captivity. You see, now the Colonel
is wounded, the command of the regi-
ment devolvcs on me for the time being,
and, considering the responsibilities Of
my position, do not for the life Of me
see how, If you brought him back,
knowing what / do know, have any
other alternative than TO plarc hiin
Under arrest and court-martial HIM"
oh, sir, surely you would not pro-
coed to such extreme measures
Il am afraid should, Frank, and, il
| did, it would go far to kill his poor
father, who now lies in very critical
condition. guess we had better let
this young fellow paddle his own canoe
for time-a dose of Libby prison will
20 long way to ameliorate his high
flown sentiments on Southern chivalry."
THAT is not spoken like Major Hop
lSins.''
Nor is it spoken by Major Hopkins,
but by the acting Colonel Of regiment,
whose fair fame shall never he stained
while l command. Ii my own dead
son were here alive to-day, and he had
done what Charles Fulton has. | would
order him under arrest without an in.
stant's hesitation"
1 Frank was awed to silence by the
Majors earnestness.
You see, Besant," the older man
continued, Il am in possession of facts
concerning which you know nothing"
| A spark of intelligence flashed il
Franks brain.
"And your informant, sir, was Jane.
Lawson?" he asked eagerly.
II so, what then?"
'Only, sir, that you arc condemnine
4 man OF honor on the word Of as base
scoundrcl as ever lied to forward hi,
miserable ends" was the hot reply
THAT may be, but even an inveteratt
liar may speak the truth, if it suits hi.
purpose"
Granted, Major; but are you quitl
sure that the truth did suit his purpos,
in this instance?"
For reply the Major took from hi
pocket-bool a torn piece Of paper, OF
which was some writing in pencil. ant
handed it to his subordinate, with tn,
remark:
Il am committing no breach Of conf
dence in showing you this. DO 20,
recognize the hand that pcnned Thu
trcacherous scrawl?"
Frank read the lines eagerly; the,
contained a brief but succinct dcscrip
/ ton of Buell's position at Nashville
. were addressed to Miss Lascellcs, an,
: were signed, "your devoted friend
c. f."
, Franks eyes blazed with triumph.
sDo | recognize the handwriting