The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1895-04-12
A Mad EXPLOIT.
By ALFRED Il. CALHOUN.
copyright, 1895, by the Author.l
Continued.

Continued.

be q friend. is not this trueg'
ut is"
"What was your purpose?"
Before Dunlap could reply to Colonel
Baird's question Anton interrupted:
my assistant knows nothing about
my purpose in coming here. Whatever
guilt there may be in the offense attaches
to me. He regarded the enterprise as
romantic affair, masquerade that
meant no injury to the enemy nor help
to his friends. "
How old are you, Mr.. Dunlap"
asked Baird.
Twenty -four. "
"You are IA officer in Bragg's army"
II am
"And you consider yourself entirely
responsible for all your own acts?"
II do. "
II believe that is all. Does any other
member of the court wish to examine
the prisoners"
Colonel Baird looked about the table,
and the officers of the court shook their
heads and compressed their lips. Anton
and Dunlap were taken into an adjoin-
! ing room and Colonel Baird said to the
| court:
charged with being spies. You have
heard their confessions and the evidence
of Lieutenant Wharton as we'll as the
dispatches from headquarters. How say
you-guilty as charged or not guilty."
As if spoken by one man, the response
was, Guilty as charged.
Is there any exception to the find
ing?' asked Baird.
There was none. The verdict having
been given, the penalty followed as a
matter of course. Death, immediate
death by hanging, has long been the rec
ognized method of disposing of q con-
viCted spy in war times, yet Colonel
Baird shuddered as he contemplated the
duty thus forced upon him.
II will telegraph to headquarters for
instructions, he said. meanwhile it
might be we'll to communicate the find
ings to the prisoners and to ascertain, if
possible, their motive in entering our
lines. ~
Colonel Baird at once telegraphed
General Garfield:
The prisoners, Anton and Dunlap have con.
| feSsel that one is colonel and the other a
lieutenant in the rebel army. What shall do
| with themY
To this came the response:
Take the confessions in writing and hang
them forthwith.
Colonel Watkins and Captain Singer
to the journal of the latter l am in
! dcOted for many of the details-with
other members of the court, visited the
prisoners Tho colonel told them of the
findings and left them to infer the re-
suit
That Anton, to continue his assumed
name, was brave to recklessness his
present condition showed, but the strain
of the past few hours had told on him
terribly, and anxiety for his young COM
panion, even more tan fear for him
self, made him intensely nervous and
almost by sterical.
Tersely, yet without bluntness, for
Colonel Watkins was q gentleman to the
core, the prisoners were told of the find.
ings of the court. As q trained soldier,
entirely familiar with military usage in
such matters Anton had nothing else
20 expect Yet he affected to believe
mat he vas misjudged. and without
an argument to sustain the assertion he
repeated:
1--WE are not spies On my honor as
4 soldier, we are not spiesl'
81 would be unjust to you and to my
SELF" said Colonel Watkins, "if l held
out any hope. The findings of the court,
based on your own confessions, are
known by this time at headquarters,
and there can be but one response That
you are both we'll bred gentlemen is evil
dent and this fact but intensifies the
wonder why such men should volunta-
rily place themselves in such position,
particularly when the chances of detec-
ton were so great.
1--WE did not expect to find any Off
GERS Of the old army here " said Anton.
You came from General Forrest?''
From his camp, yes, but we do not
belong to his command nor was it our
purpose to obtain information for his
use. I"
What command were you attached
top
"Bragg's."
and your position?'
II am attached to Bragg's staff as
chief OF artillery, and my companion is
an aide. -
What was your purpose in entering
our lines if not to get information for
Forrest?"
Il thought we could make hurried
tonr OF all your outposts and get back
to headquarters without detection"
when did you leave Forrest?'
Yesterday afternoon.
"And this was the first outpost you
struck"
Eyes"
SIS there anything else you wish to
communicates"
Nothing, except to reaffirm that
myself and my companion are gentle.
men | am cousin of General Robert
Il. Lee | am not afraid TO die; bnt, my
God, gentlemen, think of the effect on
my family of my being sent to death as
spyW
Il might say that that question should
have been considered by you before you
started off on this ignoble and i'll ad
7ised expedition Ifyou wish to write to
your friends, | will provide you with
materials" Colonel Watkins looked at
his watch and added: 1T will be day
light in an hour You must be ready for
the worst +"
As the officers were about to leave
Anton called out:
For Gods sake, colonel, send a
chaplain herel want writing materi-
ais too General Rosecrans was an old
k57iN -, HI