Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1891-05-30

to one of them, and communicate with any
negro on the place, he would be aided in
getting through. He was aware that any
northern man could count on the slaves if
they were allowed TO obey their own inch-
nations Very few of them were to be dis
covered thereabout, nearly all having been
set TO work on the Notifications. But
this Is my best chance, said Lowell, land
I'll try it."
Soon after dusk he set out, partially sup
porting himself with n stick, and after
midnight reached barn and aScendei to
TIL loft. where the fodder was kept. Be
fo!e sunrise an elderly negro appeared on
the lower iloor-the whites seldom went to
any of the outhouses-and the colonel told
him OF his mishap and of his anxiety to re-
turn to our forces. He grinned welcome,
said he would do anything for a Yankee
soldier, secretly brought him food from the
BIG house. a. ne named il, and some old
clothes 10 exchange for the uniform, so
that he m Ght pass for one of the natives.
After dark he set ont again, deriving
much information from the negro, who.
like his race generally at that time. had
Jar more knowledge of the situation than
lie was credited with. As his leg had so
improved that he walked fairly well, he
was confident Of falling in with some of
lis military associates I he next day. About
an hour after dawn, while he was on a
rough road, he was rejoiced to see body
OF cavalry coming toward him which he
imagined to be uniformed in blue. He felt
like waving the old felt hat he had taken
il place Of his fatigue cap and shouting
with joy. But he restrained himself, and
IL few minutes was panied to discover
that he had mistaken blue for gray. His
first thought was to turn aside, but his
second was to walk on, in order to divert
suspicion, having little doubt that he must
have been seen by the enemy. He would
pass, he hoped, for a rural NirCinian, and
in mediately prepared a story if he should
be questioned.
As the cavalry came up, the major who
commanded the troop halted him and asked
his name, place of residence and business.
The colonel, adopting the manner and
speech of a Southern rustic, recited the
plausible tale he had invented A rigid
Interrogation by the Confederate Office,
well as Lowell played his part, excited =
trust. 81 don't believe you're what you
pretend. There's something mysterious
about you. You seem to be a spy. We
shall take you TO Richmond
The colonel was accordingly put under
arrest, though he protested against it, in
his assumed dialect, and was the next day
thrown into Castle Thunder, in Cary street,
two or three blocks from the famous Libby
Prison.
Accounts appeared in the Richmond
newspapers of the capture of a notorious
spy, who had long eluded the vigilance of
the military authorities, and who would
undoubtedly be hanged, as the evidence
against him was conclusive, with many
equally exaggerated and untruthful de-
tails. The mind of the southern communi-
ty, Of Richmond especially, was intensely
excited at that time, for the leaders had
recognized the steadily waning cause, and
their bitterness toward its foes was pro-
portionately increased.
At this juncture Lowell resumed his proper
character and narrated the exact facts,