The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-09-07

turned 90 assist the general to rise.
THANK you. Amos" said Floyd, gasp
ing FOR breath "lf you had not come
Just when you did YOU would have been
left without "A leader | am your debtor
for this"
lfc rushed away, and. as the sun rose,
allowing him to survey the whole field Of
operations. ordered his right wing and
the cavalry to charge simultaneously.
The effect was immediate. Face to face
with those long lines of glittcring steel,
the Creeks lost heart and fed through
the swanps, leaving behind them n tran
of dead and wounded. The battle was
won. thought the white men had not
come off sCathclcss
An hour later while the hungry soldiers
were breaking their fast Amos DuCrdun
stalkCd gloomily into his commanders
tent. 81 have come to make a confess
sion, general" he began without preface.
II have come to ask that J may be placed
under arrest"
us the nan gone out of his wits?"
cried Floyd, considerably astonished.
What ails you, Amos? Has the fight
proved too much for your stomach? Here,
drink a cup of this" He handed some
wine. Twill bring back the color to
your cheeks"
Amos drained the cup. General he
began unstcadily, this is my fault.
There is not a man of ours lying dead
there i'm the pine woods and swamps who
does not owe his death to me-" In a few
simple words he told the general the
story of his temptation and his fall.
Had | not left my post" he concluded,
"thc warning would have reached you
in time, your disposition would have
been made, and tho enemy beaten back
without the loss of a man. l am "a de-
serter. general, ana l deserve a dcscr-
ter's fate"
At this Floyd looked mp quickly. His
! face was grave, for he was a soldier first
of all, and knew the gravity of the fault
| of which Amos accused himself. But he
| was also a man, and the trouble in the
| young fellows face as he stood there
| confcssing what but for that confession,
must for ever have remained undiscov-
crtd touched him, and he answered, not
| unkindly:
my lad. your offensc is grave one
| | could not tell you auGht else. But
! you have striven to atone as few Others
would have done, to my thinking; and,
| besides, YOU were, after all, in time to
| give the alarm and to prevent a com
| plete surprise the attack would have
| been made, | have little doubt, and those
! who are slain would have been slain.
| If you hold it otherwise, then your pun
| ishment is great enough. / have no
wish to make it heavier Go; / will for
| get that you have made this report 70
me. The story shall never pass my lips.
| know you. and | am sure you will never
give way again"
mo that is very true, general an
swered Amos in so strange a manner
| that the general glanced obviously at
| him. "You are too generous, general"
he went on, his face white and set, his
lips trembling, his voice husky. You
| may forgive me. but | cannot forgive
| Ial | M M +
ed in God for the rest, all would have
been we'll As it is, ! feel like n muir
derer; know | am a desertcr Give me
over to the fate that | have earned. !
demand a court-martial."
Floyd spTang to his feet. what he
cried. "You demand "A court-martial?
You ask that |, your general, whose life
you have saved, should send you to a
shameful death, which you by no means
deserve. BY heaven! l will not do it.
| Go away and sleep, my poor fellow.
| When you are rested and refreshed you
will see things in a different light"
But Amos stood his ground firmly and
| shook his head with a melancholy smile
mo, general" hc said; "it must not be.
| shall never see things in any other
light. Death / deserve, and death | am
ready to meet, and it is fitting that death
! should come to mo at the hands of those
| ! have betrayed. Listen to me, general,
he went on in low, intense voice; 'if
you refuse to allow me to eXpiate my sin
1 swear to you ] will go into the woods
| and take my own life, as | so nearly
did last night. | will not live to hear
men say There goes coward
"But, mailman, who will knOW?' cried
Floyd, at his wits end to know how t.
deal with the brave, but wrong-headed
Amos.
II shall know. general" said Amos. 4
see how it Isl 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. "Or'
dcrlyw
The orderly entered the tent.
! "Gcneral?"
send me a corporal and a file of men
Presently they appeared. Here" said
Floyd roughly, arrest this man ant
keep him under close guard until | senC
for him. See to it that he does not es'
cape"
Amos cast a glance at the general. as
much as to say, "You might have spared
me that" and followed the corporal's
guard.
An hour later he was back again. witt
n soldier on either side of him, while il
front sat Floyd and his senior officers
to try his case.
Gentlemen" began the general, "thi,
prisoner, Amos Duerden, was on guarC
at the farthest outpost, when for reason.
purely personal, he chose to desert, lcaV
ing the approach open to the enemy
Prisoner you are charged with desertini
your post in time of war Do you plead
guilty or not guilty.
Guilty! answered Amos firmly
though a hot flush of shame spread ovci
his face as ne felt rather than saw tn,
start of surprise of the soldiers at hi!
side. The officers at the table said NJ
word. Most of them knew that Amo'
had brought news of the intended attack
some of them that he had saved Floyd
life. But they We're all silent. No
one of them asked a question, or urgeC
anything in eNtenuation of the prisoner
crime.
Guilty! echoed, Floyd. "You hear
gentlemen, he pleads guilty. Prisoner
have you anything to say in your owl
behalf?"
Nothing" answered Amos, and stoo
in gloomy abstraction while Floyd anC
his officers conferred together i'm low
tones.
At last the conversation ceased, and IN,
general looked across at Amos "Pris
oncr" he said, you have been charge,
| with descTtiOn of your post in time o
war A graver charge cannot be brouEh
against "A soldier. That you voluntarily
surrendered yourself is to your credit
but It can avail YOU nothing, for tn
braver and better disciplined the soldic
the more serious such a deTelictiOn o
duty. There remains nothing for me bu
TO pronounce the sencc of the court, sine
YOU have pleaded guilty Once more
have you anything to say?'
And once more Amos answered, "Noth
ing"
"Then." said Floyd, in low, grav
voice, "thc sentence of the court is tina
YOU be taken back To the guard-tont an,