Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1893-10-17
a." Jefferson looked up again.

'~N~AN W ASAnNSCu
." | have no such information to give
you,' l told him.
THAT time was quite sure that JEFF
ferson recognized me. 1 could see it in
his eyes. But he only said:
"' Precisely. That is the exact lie /
expected you to tell
"And then he added:
Sergeant, take your mon outside and
leave the prisoner alone with me-
"Thc men filed out, and the Sergeant
followed them and closed the door. As
soon as it was shut, Jefferson got up from
the table where he was sitting and gripped
me by the hand.
Arthur he said, Il haven't seen YOU
these last five years. But Pm not mistak-
en-. You are my brother Arthur, aren't
your
II hadn't meant to tell him who I
was. You see he'd got to order me
to be shot anyway, and it seemed
better he shouldn't know he was sen.
fencing his own brother. But it wasn't
any use trying to deceive him then.
lie wouldn't have believed it. So l
owned up.
eyes, Jeffelson,' said. I'm Arthur
Langley right enough. was in hopes
you wouldn't recognize me. But you
| have
''rhen wo sat down and talked of
many things while the soldiers waited
outside.
''He asked me for news of you, and
wanted to know if you had forgiven him
for running away from home. l told
him that you had, and that he must go
back to you after the war was over; aud
he promised that he would. And then
we both cursed the war that had brou sht
us together so strangely and so terribly,
and poor Jefferson seemed even more
distressed than was by our awful meet
ing. He broke down and sobbed, poor
boy.
"'God knows, Arthur he said, I'D
let you 90 right away back to Stuart's
camp if l could. But can't
''And nc couldn't, mother.
"I know You can't do it, Jefferson,
told him. You're men wouldn't let you.
If you tried they'd mutiny.'
"He allowed that it was more than
likely.
"'Likely9' said. It's dead GER
tainty. I'd be shot just the same if you
tried; and your second in command
would put you under arrest, and your
Colonel would see that you were shot,
too. No, Jefferson, you've got it to
do, and you'd best get it done right
away
''The poor boy sat down and covered
his face with his hands, sobbing, 'Oh, my
God ! my God!'
IL tried to calm him a bit, telling him
that it was only the fortune of war, and
that when started knew l was taking
my life in my hands. But it didn't seem
to comfort him. He kept pacing up and
down the room saying, l can't do it
can't do It'll
"But told him that he must do it
there was no way out of it. Then he
made great effort and Gained himself.
He sat down at the table and struck the
gong, and then the sergeant came into
the room again.
"Sergeant,' he said, the prisoner
will be shot at daybreak. For the pres
ent you will lock him in the room oppo-
site to mine'
And so they brought me up here and
left me-"
There was break in the letter here.
Arthur Langley began several sentences,
only to strike his pen through them
again. But presently he went on thus:
"You will be angry with Jefferson,
mother. You Twill think that am MAX
ing excuses for him, and that he might
have saved me if he'd liked. Then read
on, mother. l have something else to
tell you. When you have read it you
will never think badly of Jefferson again.
1.-Two hours ago heard some one tap
ping gently at my door, and voice it
was Jefrerson's voice spoke to me in a
whisper.
Arthur. Arthur he said. Don't
answer me, Arthur, or some one may
hear you, but listen carefully to what l
say
~ listened, and this was what he
said:
eff you put your hand into your
wash hand jug you will find n key that
will unlock your door. In h passage
YOU will see Federal unif1r.n and an
overcoat. Put them on and walk right
out through the front door, and make
straig for the clump of trees to the
west. Button your coat well over your
| JaCe, anu you Will DC iIiSlahCu Aoi LiC.
| usually visit the sentres about this
time. If you are challenged, initiate my
voice and give the password "Peters-
burg" Good-by, Arthur, and God bless
YOU
"There, mother! you see what Jetler-
son was willing to do for me. l wonder
if you understand why I'm not going to
let him do it. 1t is because l know just
what the offer means. 1t means that
Jefferson will be arrested for conniving
| at my escape and shot instead of me. l
mustn't allow that to happen, must I?
Jefferson and weren't as good
| friends as we should have been in the old
times; but l always allowed there was
grit in him, and now l know it. hope
there's grit enough in me to stand out
against this temptation. It's tempta-
ton to think that there's that uniform
waiting for me all the while, and I've
only to put it on and get clear away. l
wonder
Once again he stopped writing. The
tamnt alton had been n real one. for life