The Ravalli Republican., 1898-04-06

passed the examination fully as vel
or better than he could. Genera
Malone had only one peg to hang {
hope on after putting me through
my PAGES for full two hours. My
terminate was sure was John Wake
field, and yet was 4 bit strange
since my return to the company.
did not use tobacco any longer, an(
he had not heard me swear, though /
1 had been addicted to both vices be
fore my capture. | claimed that
had resolved to let tobacco alone, as
it was affecting my health, and
| had quit swearing in gratitude ovel
my escape.
The general was satisfied, and yet
unsatisticd. He acknowledged that
my officers and comrades ought tc
know me after being together for a
year, but added that there was nc
great hurry to dispose Of the case
and sent mo to the guardhouse. At
| the end OF two days | was escorted
back to his headquarters, and he
played his last card. In his tent was
a soldier dressed in Federal uniform,
whom I took to be a deserter There
were also two men dressed as civil
ians, but I believe they were Con-
federate soldiers temporarily dis
guiscd. The general had two letters
and a telegram before him, and as I
stood at attention he looked up and
said:
"Well, my Yankee lad, you are
pretty sharp and have stuck by your
story, but you might as we'll make a
clean breast of it now. You see this
dese1ter from your lines, these citi-
zens from Montgomery, these writ
ten proofs that You arc not John
Wakofe]d?" @.@
"NNho do you want me to beg"
asked.
II want your right name and tho
story Of how you got into our lines,
You are a spy, and hanging is the
penalty, but, owing to your youth,
we may decide to treat you as pris-
oner Of war.
1 declared that I was John Wake
field, asked him to remember that
all my company had fully identified
me and expressed my willingness to
face any new proofs he might have
70 the contrary He leaned back in
his chair and looked me straight in.
the eyes for moment, and I knew
ho was Il beaten man, He did nots
call up the men OF read the letters,
as they had been prepared = for the
occasion and could not have helped
him out. After what seemed fully
ten minutes to me he Quietly said:
"Well, perhapsa q mistake has been
made. You can return to your regi-
ment. ".@
Ny two arraignments before Gen
eral Malone made me an object of
curiosity and gossip in my company,
and when | returned it WAS to find
all the men anxious to quiz me and
two OF three of them seemingly sus=
picious. Tho captain called me into
his tent and questioned and Cross
questioned mo until he declared that
nobody but fool could have taken
me for any one else. put the men
off by pretending to be angry, and
three nights later, as we held a
breastWorl1 at the front, slipped
away in the darkness and re-entered
the Federal lines. Acting Oh the i'll
formation l brought, Grant was ham,
mering away Oh that portion Of the
Confederate line at day break. Ten
years after the war, as | smoked the
pipe OF peace with General Malone
at hotel in Richmond, | put the
inquiry:
General, suppose you had secut-
Cd proofs that was not John Wake
field. What would have happened!"
''Can't you guess!" he replied.
sWould you have had me shot?"
No, sir I'd have hung you by
the neck and made good job of it p