Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1895-03-12
CHAPTER XIV.

| CHAPTER XIV.
| TRIED.
When Corporal Ratigan left Miss
Baggs with the general. to whom he
had unwillingly conducted her, ho was
In such condition Of mind that he for.
got all about his horse and started TO
walk toward his camp. When cavalry
man shows such evidence Of absence OF
mind, il is sure sign that he Is III a
condition bordering on insanity. Rati-
gan walked some distance before il &C
CURED to him that he was pursuing an
unusual means of locomotion; then he
turned back to get his horse. When he
arrived at tho place from which he had
departed, Miss Baggs had gone. Mount
ing. he rode to his own camp, and upon
reaching there he first went directly to
his tent; then, stunning his comrades,
stole away to wood and threw himself
on his face in the shade Of large tree
and gave himself up to grief.
30 Lord, o Lord, he moaned, "if
they'd organized corps of lovely women
to be attached 10 each division of the
army and the enemy, there'd be no more
| fghtin for either cause. Each would
fight the other about the women and the
cause would hov 10 take care Of itself. "
Corporal Ratigan!'
The corporal put his hands to his eaCs
and eroaned.
Corporal RatigaD. say"
Still the corporal would not hear. He
knew that some one was approaching,
for whether he would or not he could
not help hearing his name called, each
time more distinctly. Presently sol
dier stood looking down at him.
Corporal Ratigan," he said, yer
wanted at the headquarters Of Coloael
Maynard. commanding the -th bri.
gade. "
What's that for?'' asked the cor.
poral without changing his position
Witness Cor court martial "
Why will people ask questions oI'
planatory Of disagreeable events or mis-
fortunes. the answers to which they
know well enough already? And why.
when the information comes. will they
deny its truth?
"If ye say that again, Conover. Oi'll
break every bono in yer body.
What's the mather wild ye, cor
poral'"
Ratigan by this time had got mp from
the ground, where he was lying, and
approached his tormentor
Don't ask me, Conover. me boy"
"Why, Rats, yer lookin as If yo were
goin TO be tried yerself. "
Tried! Dim 10 suffer OH tho rack
as one OF me ancestors did once IL the
old Tower in Lunnon.
"How's that?"
"Oh, don't ask me. don't ask mo. Oh
can niver endure this trial. OH dol,
Oil dol. 4"
Come, brace yerself, me boy Yer
in no condition to be goin before
court What is it all anyway"
What is il all? A woman to be tried
for her life. And caught her. Oi M
to bear witness against her. . God,
IL they'd let me off by tyin me up by
she thumbs, buckin and gaggin, car
ryin a log on me shoulders, drummed
out of camp with shaved head and feath-
ers behind me ears. q Lord, y LORD,
Oil dol. OH dOiv'
The corporal mounted his horse and
was soon jogging along at a snail pace
toward Colonel Maynard's headquar-
ters There he was directed to where
the court was sitting.
Corporal Ratigan, you're late, " said
the president sternly.
The corporal saluted, but said moth
ing. He was directed to wait till some
preliminaries had been disposed of, and
he took position in "a corner. IL needed
all the strength OF which he was pos
sesscd TO maintain himself on his legs,
and he tried to keep his eyes from look
ing about the courtroom He feared
that if they rested on the prisoner, even
for a moment, he would sink down on
the floor heap Of blue uniform and
boots. Nevertheless the eyes will not al-
ways be controlled. Despite his efforts,
Ratigan's gave involuntary glances here
and there until suddenly they rested
on the object they were expected to
avoid, sitting opposite, surrounded by
guards, pale, but self possessed, and a
pair of glorious eyes looking at him
with such sympathy and encouragement
that the poor man felt as If the win
dows of heaven had been opened and an
angel was looking out to give him
strength. Once his eyes We're riveted on
hers there was no getting them away
until he was suddenly aroused by
voice
Corporal Ratigan"
Mechanically he staggered to place
designated as witness stand, and hold
ing Oh to the back Of a chair steadied
himself to give his testimony.
Estate how you first saw the prisoner
tampering with the telegraph line on
yesterday morning, Sept. =" said the
Judge advocate, an officer very tall, very
slender and very serious looking.
"Oi didn't see her at all.
"What?
cit was too dark to see anything"
"Well, state what you did see. ;"
81 only thought saw something
"Come, come" said the president
sternly, I'VE have no time to waste.
Tell the story Of the capture.
Thus commanded, the corporal braced
himself to give the desired account.
ssO; xrao ridiu m camD-affpr hay-