Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1896-05-07

was out for half an hour, / arose, and
after flourishing my limbs around a
minute, knew l was all right. had
been we'll fed, Of course. for during all
my misery and semi-consciousness |
had shown a sleepy but effective abl-
| ity to eat.
When the surgeon returned, I had
subsidized, and was lying still and quiet.
Then all that morning laid there. won
dering what was to become OF me. and
planning desperately to escape. No. l
could hardly call it planning. for I sim
ply could not plan. There seemed no
possible way for me to make egress
from that camp. For had walked out
OF the tent while the surgeon was TAX
ing one OF his short maps during the
night. I would have been promptly
nailed by guard. Or. at least. could
never have passed the pickets.
While I was thinking 1t over, COL
| onel. l suddenly dropped to sleep. and
slept until far In the afternoon. Then.
when I awoke learned from the sur
! geOn. who was just then talking to an
! officer. that three more OF our boys had
| died
! And later on IN the afternoon, Just !
little later on. colonel. another OF our
| comrades took his last breath He died
about an hour before dark. and even as
ne did so there came to me a startling
idea, which was suggested by his lying
OH the blanket next to me!
my breath came quick but silent. as
out Of my sleepy. half-closed eyes
watched the surgeon cross the poor fell
lows hands and fold the blanket care
fully around the body, in a way that
would show the gravediggers that 1t
was form ready for their hands.
Then, as the doctor stepped from the
body. for perhaps five minutes prayed
earnestly for him to leave the tent. for
something to call him away.
And 1t seemed, colonel, that my
prayer was answered. for presently an
officer came to the door and said that he
was wanted in another tent. Then the
surgeon passed out under the canvas
flap. and both he and the officer moved
away. At the same instant I heard
the rattle Of the 1ead-wagon approach
ing the tent. For darkness had come.
q Nda NISSo w uIIu "outu nave UeCIl Colii
plete but for the simmering moonlight.
II had but an instant to act. but
moved quickly, desperately.
swiftly as the thought itself rose,
'eaned over and spread the dead mans
blanket out IN a loose, careless manner
over him, leaving his hair and part CT
his forehead exposed. and his arms ex-
tended out from under the blankets
folds. Then with the same desperate
Quickness I wrapped my own blanket
tightly around my legs. then my body,
and after tucking 1t over and under my
head. and folding my arms under 1t In
a manner that made It more tight. I
held myself rigid.
II had. OF course, removed the ban
dages from my head, and when. a min
ute later. hand gently pulled the blan-
ket from over my face. my lips were
drawn tight and my eyes were wide set
in deadly stare.
1.-THE expression. in the dim light Of
the tent lantern, accompanied by the
rightly OF my figure. satisfied the
gravedigger. and the covering being
quickly thrown over my face, felt my
self seized by two men-one at the
heels. the other at the neck-and sum-
moned the use Of every muscle to hold
myself stiff.
"A few minutes afterward. colonel.
was laid on something hard. and knew
was in the dead-wagon. 1t seemed an
hour to me then, though 1t could no,
have been more than one minute. be-
fore three more bodies were deposited
beside me. and felt myself jarring
over the ground.
after waiting probably five long
fearful. horrible minutes. l cautiously
moved the blanket from off my eyes
and looking up. could see the limbs and
leaves that hung between me and the
moon. 1t was delicious spectacle tc
me.
"A few seconds before l had heart
the loud challenge Of the sentry, ther
the wagon had moved on. and I now
knew we were past the pickets. and pro
ceeding over the dark forest road to
ward the graveyard.
There was at the rear OF the wa
CONS bed a board perhaps half foo
high, ard on this l rested my heels
Then l slid my legs along until m!
knees hung over. The gravedigger
were steadily talking. and l hoped Il
drop out without their observing me.
And did it. colonel. AS the Wagon
was passing through heavy shadow
I rose up and dropped over the end
board to the ground. The vehicl
rolled en-. and as l heard the grave
: diggers continuing to talk in even tones
l knew that my act had been uunoticod
Il was clothed only in my shirt an
trousers. being OF course. barcfooted
out l was hardly conscious OF thai
; The conviction that was escaping wa
enough to fill my mind just then.
swiftly hurried through the dar
woods. and presently entered COW
: path. where my progress was less pain
, full The rest was then easy, and thre
hou,, 1,.or outaroJ form, Sav