The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1897-09-03
Kenton turned turn white with anger and

Kenton turned white with anger and
started to retrace his steps.
"No, yo' DON'T" said Steve as he
barred the way. II fust took to yo' on
account of yo'r sense, and 1 hope you
won't lose it now. Thar's game bein
played, and yo' wanter come out on
top!'
us it possible that after what has
passed they still continue to look upon
me as a traitor?' demanded Kenton in
a voice broken with emotion.
"They do, but it's fur an object, yo'
see," replied Steve. Its all on ac-
count of the gal. If thar was no gal,
yo'd be- the first lieutenant Or mebbe
captain of the company today. If thar
was a gal and no war, yo' and Wyle
you'd hev fit duel over her befo' this.
One would hev challenged t'other."
but, butt stammered Kenton,
boiling over to say something and yet
not wishing to drag Marian Percy's
namo - 20 the case.
"It jest this way" interrupted
Steve: "Yo' un's got the inside track,
and thar's but one way to keep it-play
IL.
game. Go right along about yo'r biz
ness, but keep an eye out fur Reube.
He's put on yo'r track to sell yo' out,
and he'll do his purtiest to please the
captain"
1t was true that Banks was moving
up the valley. He had an army five
times as strong as Jackson's, and he
meant to annihilate the latter before
re-enforcements could reach him. Ken
ton had set out in good time. 1t takes
an hour to move regiment of men as
signed to certain place on march.
1t takes three hours for a brigade to
march and countermarch and file out of
its camp onto the highway. Divisions
ordered to move at O'Clock a. m. are
halting and lingering at noon. An army
of 90, 900 men with its artillery, bag
gage trains, ambulances, camp follow
ers and beef cattle is gigantic sloth.
It must open its eyes. 1t must wink
and blink and nap again. 1t must
stretch and yawn and complain. 1t is
as if huge tortoise was trying to work
loose from its shell.
Banks was getting ready for his move.
Every report which Kenton received as
he neared the front went to assure him
of the fact. He was on foot, lodging
from forest to forest and from field to
field and betraying himself only to a
few whom he knew could be trusted.
After the first day out he became satis-
fed that he was being dogged by Reube
Parker. The latter must also have been
provided with a pass to take him
through all Confederate lines, but
though he hung to Kenton's trail he
did not betray his presence except by
accident. Everywhere along Banks
front were evidences that a forward
move was on the tapis, and before Ken
toms work was finished he had secured
a pretty fair estimate of the Federal
strength. Banks knew that Confederate
scouts and spies would be seeking in
formation, and he was guarding against
them as much as possible by covering
his front with scouting parties of cav
airy.
Just before sundown on the second
day of his scouting along the front Ken
ton came very near crossing highway
up which a Federal scouting party were
quietly riding in hopes to come upon
game of some sort. The rattle of
troopers saber put him on his guard,
and he had just time to sink down in
the bushes to escape observation. Not
30 with the man who had been dogging
him. He was aiming to cross the road
lower down, and as he stepped out a
dozen carbines were leveled at him, and
he was prisoner in an instant. Ken
ton was too far away to hear what was
said, but we can relate it. Reube Par
ker no sooner found himself in the hands
of the enemy than he asked for the cap
tain in command and said:
81 don't deny bein scout, and yo'
see me yere in Confederate uniform
with pass signed by Gineral jackson.
Thar's two of us, and / reckon yo'
might as we'll get the other one while
yo'r about it,"
do you mean that you were in the
company of another Confederate scout2"
asked the captain.
"That's what mean"
"And where is hep"
Round yere sumwhar, 1 reckon. If
yo'll beat up the bushes purity lively,
yo'll be apt to uncover him.
"I'll have the locality searched, of
course, said the captain after long,
hard look at Reube, but it strikes
me you are mighty mean man to give
your comrade away"
"Yaas, 1 reckon it does," imprudent-
ly drawled Reube, land mebbe I'd bet
ter tell yo' why. It's bekase he un s an
other of yo'-a reg lar bo n Yank who's
mean 'nuf to sell out both sides if he
could! Reckon he's got lots of news
fur Gineral Jackson this time, and
yo'll git prize if yo' git hold O. him!"