Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-12-07

is missing He has escaped
Escaped Impossible Why, he gave
his parole.
"'He has broken it. Sir There can be nc
doubt about it. The black stallion is also
gone.'
1.-THE famous black stallion which had
ordered picketed apart, and on which ]
had hoped to witch the world with my
noble horsemanship! How vexatious! For
a moment my vanity made ME oblivious oil
what had really happened; but fora moment
only.
"'when did you miss Macrane?' I asked
sharply.
Last evening, Sir
Then why didn't you report his absence
at once to me?'
"I didn't have the heart, Sir T.
Stop; Captain Brown. Not another
word, or I shall be compelled to demand
your sword, Sir. understand; that Is,
would understand were 1 not bound to
ignore my suspicious on account of your
gallant conduct yesterday. Take file of
men, surround that old mansion, and do
your utmost to recapture the fugitive. Be
as vigilant as you have been remiss.
General, you may depend on me-
He fastened away. I soon heard the
tramp of the men announcing his departure.
But his mission proved fruitless, as I be-
ieved it would. An noon Captain Brown
returned and reported that he had ap-
preached the house stealthily and thrown q
Gordon about it; that no living sight or
sound greeted him. The outhouses were
empty, the chimneys smokeless, the win
dows boarded, the mansion abandoned.
when I reported this escapade to the
Brigadier, he looked both chagrined and
relieved.
"I am mortified, of course he said;
but not as'indisnant as ordinarily would
be at such breach of faith. can't help
it. My sensibilities applaud, even while
my judgment condemns. They were SO
very fond of each other They had been
lovers since they were little children, and
had wandered hand and hand through this
woodland like Paul and Virginia. Agnes
that is the girls name, God bless her, 1
love her as my daughter-is an orphan and
practically homeless.
Their marriage had been the plan and
dream of months, and had at length seemed
feasible. For while, of course, we had
heard of you, General, and warningly, we
did not anticipate so daring foray. Poor
Macranel He was crazed with despair.
Had the foul 6end offered him freedom in
exchange for his soul, he would have
jumped at the bargain.
"'Ahp thought to myself, the foul
fend did tempt, and the unfortunate young
man did yield. Too late will he learn that
the stains of dishonor are indelible.'
'sTime passed by rapidly, as it always
does in warfare. Perhaps 1t is the presence
of death that makes it so fleet. The
Brigadier was exchanged. Whether he
satisfactorily explained his capture so soon
after promotion, never heard. The fol-
lowing spring brought me on official busi-
ness to the fortress, which was the depart
ment headquarters. AS I concluded the
matters required of me, the General COM
manding said: by the way, we have hud a
curious court-martial case here lately, con-
cerning which you must know something
"'What is that. pray?
"'A young Southern officer has just been
tried and condemned as spy. His name is
Ralph Macrane.
"tMacranel A spyP
." Yes, he was captured leading his men
in a desperate, a forlorn charge. IT'S o
marvel he was taken alive. He seemed to
court death. No wonder, though; he must
have appreciated the consequences of ar
rest. He had broken his parole and re-
turned to open warfare; and you know that
this rendered him liable to be treated as q
SPY under the Articles Of War Of every civil
lized nation; and suppose the Confederacy
is as much civilized IS it is q nation
"sYes, but
"sOh, 1 know. You will claim that there
were extraordinary and mitigating circum-
stances, that private matters and not fauat-
icism were the cause Of his dishonorable
conduct So ! thought ct first; but nothing