The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-11-21
Tale of a Deserter.
From Chambers Journal In Four Part
PART ".

But Amos stood his ground firmly and
shook his head with a melancholy smile.
mo. General" he SAID, at must not be
shall never see things in any other light
Death deserve, and death 1 am ready to
meet. and It Is fitting that death should
come to me at the hands Of those have
betrayed Listen to me. General" he went
OF in low, intense voice: ''if you refuse
to allow me TO expiate my sin, l swear
to you I will go into the woods and take
my own life, as I so nearly did last night.
l VIII not live TO hear men say, There
goes a coward"
But, mailman, who will know" cried
Floyd. at his wits end 10 know how TO
deal with the brave, but wrong headed
| Amos.
Il shall know, General" said Amos. II
see how it is; you leave me no resource. -
He bowed and turned TO leave the tent
stop" roared Floyd, stepping in front
OF him and thrusting him back Orderly"
The orderly entered the tent. General
Send me corporal and file of men.
Presently they appeared. Here" said
Floyd, roughly, ARREST this man and keep
him under close guard until / send for
| him. See 10 it that he does not escape"
Amos cast a glance at the General, as
much as to say, You might have spared
| me that and followed the corporate
guard.
All hour later he was back again, with
1 soldier on either side of him, while in
| front sat Floyd and his senior officers to
! try his case.
| Gentlemen" began the general, this
| business need not detain us long. The prs
! oner. Amos Duerien, was on guard at the
| farthest outpost, when for reasons purely
| personal he chose to desert, leaving the
| approach open to the enemy. Prisoner
you are charged with deserving your post
| in time of war. Do you plead guilty or
not guilty?''
Guilty" answered Amos, firmly, though
hot flush of shame spread over his face
as he felt rather than saw the start of
| surprise Of the soldiers at his side. The
| officers at the table said no word Most
| of them knew that Amos had brought
| news of the intended attack, some of them
that ne had saved Floyd's life. But they
were all silent. Not one of them asked
question, or urged anything in extenua-
| ton of the prisoners crime.
Guilty. echoed Floyd. You hear, gen.
-tlemen, he pleads guilty. Prisoner, have
you anything TO say in your own behalf?''
Nothing" answered Amos, and stood in
gloomy abstraction while Floyd and his
officers conferred together in low tones.
At last the conversation ceased and the
General looked across at Amos. "Pris-
oner." he said, you have been charged
with desertion of your post in time of war.
A graver charge can not be brough;
against soldier. That you voluntarily
surrendered yourself is to your credit: but
IT car avail you nothing, for the drawer
and the better disciplined the soldier, the
more serious such a derel.ction of duty
There remains nothing for me but TO pro-
nounce the sentence of the court, since
you have pleaded guilty. Once more, have
you anything to say?"
And once more Amos answered: Moth
ing
Them said Floyd, in low, grave voice,
THE sentence of the court is that you be
taken back to the guard-house and in one
hour from now you be removed thence to
a place to be determined upon and there
shot. The cour, is dissolved"
Not word more was sad. The guari
removed the prisoner, amid the wondering
glances of his comrades walked with firm
step to the guard-tent. where the flap was
lowered ard he was left to his own medi-
tations. The hour passed all too quickly;
but ere it struck there was a sound of
jingling spur and scabbard, and Floyd
STRIDE INTO the prisoners presence.
Amos stood up and saluted.
Duerden," began the general, II think
you have behaved like mailman. But
you left me no option. do not wish to
make your load of trouble heavier than il
is already, but I wish to tell you that al
ready your story Is known throughout the
camp, and not one of your comrades has
a word to say in your blame. You have
forced me to condemn you; you are ac-
quilted by them
Still Amos was silent, and Floyd went
on, not without emotion, You saved my
life, Amos, and 1 would fain be of service
to you now. Is there nothing you will
allow me to do?'
General" was the answer, 'let me face |
my comrades fire with my eyes unbound, !
and do you see to it that Agnes knows !
that 1 atoned for my fault and died as 4 |
brave man should de"
II will promised Floyd. His voice was |
gruff and unsteady, and his keen eyes |
were moist as he left the tent.
Ten minutes later Amos Duerlen stood |
in front of the firing party told off to do |
him to death. His regiment, drawn up, |
looked on, and all the superior officers were |
present.
Amos stood with the handkerchief in his /
hand. which he was to drop as a signal |
fer the volley which was TO cut his thread |
of life so suddenly. He glanced at his |
comrades, and some of the rough fellows
were weeping.
Suddenly. far away his eyes caught sight /
of a party of horsemen advancing at a
gallop. There was a futter of skirts some
where in the midst of them. and Amos.
forgetting to give the signal, fixed his
eyes upon the cavalcade and held them
there, fascinated.
Nearer and nearer they came, until at !
last he could distinguish the familiar fig |
Ures of men ne knew. But among them, |
horrible TO dream OF. was his love, his
Agnes, coming TO see MIN die. A strange
scream, more like that of an animal in |
pain than any human sound, burs; from |
HIM If he lost his nerve now ne would
be disgraced forever. And it was going
He had not looked for trial such as this
1t was going-soine fast He raised his
hand above his head and dashed the hand
kerchef TO the ground.
Fire.
From the dark mouths OF the levelled
muskets tongues OF fame stresmsd vi
cIously towards him. The rolling echoes
Of the volley died away. and Amos Duer-
den stood erect and unframed.
pszed and bewildered. he stared in from:
OF him. hearing. as q man IN dream, the
sound of those galloping hoofs. Then me-
he raised MS hand once more,
and went through the action Of dssh.ng
The handkerchief 10 the ground. But Floyd.
who had been watching hin keenly. left
his place and fastened 70 him
Amos Duerden." he said n voice -
oud that every man assembled there could
hear each word that fell from his bps.
). Ans Tl,iarisr eve ne vnu- hard - II .