Dodge City times., 1891-01-09
A CLOSE CALL.
A STORY OFLOVE AND WAR.
BY ALFRED X. CALHOUN.
ICoryR,GH-, 1870, by Bacheller & Co.

CHAPTER XiI.-CoNrINUED.
Some time after this, all the prisoners
were driven every morning into the Up
per Potomac room and counted out one
at time, into the Upper Chickamauga.
At the southern ends of all the rooms
there were sinks and spigots, but clean
illness was out of the question. The
room opening from Carey street and di-
rectly under the lower Chickamauga had
in it a number ofsold-fashioned kitchen
ranges and was known as ''the cook
ROOM"
After we had wet our faces and hands
and dried them on :. much Soiled towel,
which thcchaplain had left among other
effects. we went down to tho stoves. and
as Howard had given me all his bread
the night before, we would have gone
hungry till noon, had it not been for tho
kindness of friends who shared with us
their little corn-bread and remaining
black beans.
About eleven o'clock corn bread,
beans and enough tough beef to give
few ounces to each man, were dis
tribu.cd: during the nine weeks that
followed we did not receive any more
meat.
Still faithful to the promise I had
made Carrie Brent and her brother, /
took the first opportunity could find to
talk to Lieutenant Scott without being
overheard by the crowds about us. l
told him Franks story and asked for
his.
ri f,ad hnfn
bitter or profane in my presence, SO
tnat l was quite unprepared for the
vindictive wrath he showed on this oc-
casion.
clad captured Frank Brent, know
ing what l now do about him, I'd have
hung him to the first tree within REACH"
he Missed.
''YOu are jealous of him because of
his devotion to Miss Vernon" l said;
''but you have nothing to fear there"
''No, Captain, am not jealous, but
xm righteously indignant. Frank Brent
captured me in Powelrs Valley, and at
the time he said, so that he could not
have been guilty of John Harding's
murder. This world will not be big
enough to hold him and me once this
war is over, that is, if he is not hung in
the mean time, as he deserves to be, or
II do not die in this hole"
On being pressed to give the reason for
his dislike, Howard continued:
''You know my cousin George Skill
man, who was with Brent? Well,
George was fine fellow, even if he was
In such company. One day an old
scoundrel, named Mckee, who claimed
10 be Union man-how l would like to
use halter on that fellow-came to US
with letter purporting 20 have been
written by Cousin George, and saying
that he was lying helpless and wounded,
over in Powell's Valley. l showed the
letter to General Carter, and as the
enemy was not believed to be within
fifty miles of the place, he told me to
take an ambulance. find my cousin, and
have him sent to our hospital at the Gap,
where he would be sure to get good care.
started off, under the guidance of old
Mckee, and, in reaching the valley I
found myself in Frank Brent's hands.
but Brent forged the letter SO as to trap
me. But the end is not yet" And
Howard Scott's eyes flashed and he be-
gan biting his mustache.
felt too much humiliated to tell my
friend of the part l believed this same
old Mckee played in my capture; but I
did explain my own situation, and as
serted my belief that if Frank Brent
were hanged should be treated in the
same way by the Confederate authori-
ties.
They've condemned Sawyer and
Flynn to death, but the two men are
here in Libby. Let them begin the re-
taliation, Captain Watts, and they'll
soon learn that that is a game two can
play at
"But what good will that do NO after
I an hanged?" asked.
Howard put both arms around my
neck and whispered:
"Don't lose heart, old fellow; if they
don't hang you mighty soon I'll show
you the road out Of Libby and lead you
on the trail to freedOm.
The more tried to get The Lieuten-
ant to explain the more mysterious he
became, till at length, to avoid my i'm
portunities, he called q stranger, intro
duced me and turned away.
This stranger was Colonel di Cesnola,
of the Fourth New York Cavalry, .
handsome, dark-faced man. who was
distinguished from every other officer
in prison by the fact that he wore .
warm, blue cavalry tunic trimmed with
fur. The Colonel was explaining to me
that this most desirable garment had
been received under flag of truce, when
suddenly it seemed that every man In
prison began shouting my name.
captain Watts! Captain Watts! Cap
tain Harry Wattsr'
'.It is evident you are wanted BY the
prison authorities" explained Colonel
,di CesnOla.
Acting on his direction, made my
way to the head of the stairs leading
down to the prison Office. Here found
Little Ross, and IN making myself
l-coxn. he said: