The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1892-01-06
CHAPTER III


must confess to having often felt al
fptorsa dastre to ean.lire Frank Bren'
| and on his part he had boasted, VIII
something OF an Indians ferocity, tina
he would wear my scalp at his belt be
fore the war was over. But the Joy
had anticipated In his humiliation was
not mine when in the dusk OF thai
stormy evening we stood face to face.
When l last saw Frank Brent he was
Us handsome youth as could be found
In all the Blue Grass country, but the
two years of strife and privation had
told on him--this and the terrible or
deal he was then undergoing. His fine,
tall form was still erect, and his bearing
half defiant, but the ashy pallor of his
checks, the haunted expression in his
dark eyes, and the nervous twitching OF
the lips told how keenly he felt the sit
uation.
gave him my hand, and said, as /
led him to seat:
Frank. I am mighty sorry to find you
in this fix"
II have no fault to find with my be-
ing prisoner, for that is the fortune of
war;" he said, with q nonchalant aiv.
"As good or even better men than my
self have had to submit to capture. But
do object to being convicted OF crime
which am incapable of committing"
"But there must have been evidence
against your" said, quietly.
$50 there WASH he exclaimed, "but
from first to last the condemnatory part
was perjured."
"You refer to the murder of John
Harding, near Pcrryyille?" O..
Eyes, that's 1t, Captain. Harding was
killed, how or by whom know not, but
do know that ct the dato of tho muir
dor was still with my command, two
hundred miles away" said Frank, with
a fierce earnestness that convinced me
he was telling the truth.
"But could you not provo your whore.
abonts aS the time?" asked.
Prove my whereabouts at the timer
he repeated. "Why, how could bring
any Of my men before Yankee court
martial to prove an alibi?"
"But, are there no Union troops who
might have been aware of your vicinity?
1t is your custom to let your where
abouts be known" said.
Frank Brent rose and began pacing
the floor, while he stroked his soft,
brown beard in perplexed way. Sud-
denly coming to q halt before me, he
fixed his eyes on the floor and said:
"There Is one Of your men, an old
friend OF yours, who is now in libby
prison, who, II he were here, could
...1,,o tbc+ ~, &ha x,arxr daxv Tnhxs No ~ i.
Ing was killed was in Powells valley,
near Cumberland Cap
'.Who is the man?" I asked.
Howard Scott"
Howard Scott prisoner" I ex-
claimed.
Eyes, captured by me on the tenth
day OF October-the day of the murder,
mind you-captured by me two hun
dred miles from the place where Hard
ing's body was found. am usually
well-mounted. but no horse could make
thatdistance In few hours, said Frank
Brent, with nervous laugh.
II shall not deny what you state, y
said, "but as you can not corroborate
1t, 1t does not help your case. As We
are not exchanging prisoners now,
Lieutenant Scotia presence is out Of
the question, though I will confess
that his evidence would save you"
He had evidently been thinking over
every chance TO avert his sentence, for
he said quietly:
General Boyle believes he can get
your President to postpone the date. II
that is done, Scott can be paroled, spe.
cially exchanged. or his evidence. taken
In Richmond can be sent through under
flag Of truce. He does not like me,
and there IL no love lost between US,
but he is brave man and he would not
lie, not even to get square with me for
the trick that led to his capture