The Red Cloud chief., 1895-02-22

80
gade."
Whats that for9'' asked the cor.
poral without changing his position.
witness for court martial"
Why will people ask questions ex.
planatory Of disagreeable events or mis-.
fortunes. tho answers to which they
know we'll enough already And why,
when the information comes, will they
deny Its truth?
III ye say that again, Conover, Oil
break every bone In yer body"
Whats the mather wild ye, cor.
poralT
Ratigan by this time had got up from
the ground, where 'he was lying, and
approached his tormentor.
Don't ask me, Conover, me boy"
why, Rats, yer lookin as If ye were
goin to DO tried yerself."
Tried? Ohm to suffer on tho rack
as II Of me ancestors did once in the
old Tower in Lunnon."
"How's that?"
"Oh, don't ask me. don't ask me. Oh
a niver endure this trial. DIN dol,
Oi'll dol"
"Corie, brace yerself, me boy. Yer
In no condition to DO goin before u
court. What Is 1t all anyway"
What Is 1t all? A woman to be tried
for her life. And I caught her. Dim
to bear witness against her. o God,
IL they'd let me of by tyin me up by
the thumbs. buckin and gaggin, car.
ryin a log OH Inc shoulders, drummed
out OF camp with shaved head and feath.
ers behind mo ears. q Lord, o Lord,
Oi'll dol, Oil doir'
The corporal mounted his horse and
was o jogging along at q snail's pace
toward Colonel Maynard's headquar.
ters. There no was directed to where
the court was sitting.
Corporal Ratigan, you're late, " said
tho 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 q corner. 1t needed
all the strength CT which he was pos.
sessed to maintain himself on his legs,
and he tried to keep his eyes from look.
ing about the courtroom. He feared
that II they rested on the prisoner, even
for q moment, he would sink down on
the floor. o heap Of blue uniform and
boots. Nevertheless the eyes will not al.
ways be controlled. Despite his efforts,
Ratigan's gave involuntary glances here
aud there until suddenly they rested
o. the object they were expected to
avoid, sitting opposite, surrounded by
guards, pale. but self possessed, aud o
pair Of glorious eyes looking at him
with such sympathy and encouragement
that the poor man felt a. IL the win
dows Of heaven had been opened and an
angel was looking out to give him
strength. Once his eyes were riveted on
hers there was no getting them away
until he was suddenly aroused by a
voice.
Corporal Ratiganv
Mechanically no staggered to q place
designated as o witness stand, and hold.
ing ON to the back Of q chair steadied
himself to give his testimony.
state how you first saw the prisoner
tampering with the telegraph line ON
yesterday morning, Sept. -" said the
Judge advocate, al officer very tall, very
lender and very serious looking.
"Oi didn't see her ut ALL"
WHAT"
IL was too dark to see anything"
well, state what you did see."
Il only thought I saw something"
Come, come" said the president
sternly, 1--WE have no time to waste.
Tell tho story Of tho capture"
Thus commanded, tho corporal braced
himself to give the desired account.
'Oi was ridin to camp-after hay.
In posted the relief, and comm along
the road-it was the road Oh was com.
in along. Oi-Oi-colonel, it was SO
dark none Of 70 could have seen YER
hand before yer face" The corporal
stopped and gave evidence Of sinking
on the floor.
We'll, 60 on"
There was somethin black in the
road or by the side Of it. Oh stopped to
listen. Then OF thought some one
might be tamperin with the line
mind ye. Oh only thought it-and Oh
called OH whoiver it was to surrender. |
Then Oi heard q get up, and WHATEVER
II was dashed off. OF followed IL as
last as liver OF could. calm ON 'em to
stop and firm me Colt. Divil O bit did
any n stop"
The corporal paused again. Il looked
as II ne were not going to get any fur.
Their.
go on, my man."
well, then we came to tho camp of
General IS division. and I was halt.
ed by the guards, while what Oi had
seen got ahead. So Oh lost sight Of il
entirely"
Proceed"
well. wasn't 1t the fault Of tho
guards stopoin me and lettin the 9th.
CT go on and no fault of miner"
"Go on"
Whats the use Of goin on? OF lost
sight OF what was tamperin with the
wires"
but you overlook it."
How can o. swear it was the sameY'