Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1899-10-10

lOIludtlOH OIL ocIl. LOnSStreep move.
The ma or calls a halt till he kin report
the fact to Col. Archard-that gentle
man there. Maj. Berante gifts permits
sion to send dctachments on to chase
EN-, then goes to house near by and
comes back with a paper. don't know
what it was, but l TUX it tibet he wrote
it himself. Leastways he tells Enoch
tibet If he will make up some yarn to
throw distrust on Lieut.. Halls and Miss
Beach's story, and take the paper to
Gen. Heath, maxim up another yarn
about how he stumbled on it, Enoch
might come back and git big pay for the
job. Enoch said he would do anything
to git even with the lieutenant.
"They gifts up from the bivouac, and
Enoch starts for the plantation. fol-
lers him out onto the road, but was so
riled tibet couldn't wait fur him to git
fur enough from the rebel camp before
/ tackles him. Enoch hollers like loon,
a yedette comes runnin' from one direc-
ton. and an officer of the picket from
another, and they pinned me down and
TUX lis both to Maj. Berante.
'Well, was in a hole. Thinkin' to
gain time, l tells the major that hev
important information I'd like to swap
fur my life, and he agrees to give me till
mornin' to make it all up-for thet's
what was agoin' to do. In the mornin'
1 tells him cock-and-bull story about
Gen. Grant sendin' troops around by
Nashville aud Louisville. to Knoxville,
and lets him simmer. He opens them
snakes eyes O. his'n, takes in the infor-
nation, but keeps me in limbo all the
same. Well, to shorten up, I've been
watched by confederate guards lots of
times in this war, and they haven kept
me long at any one time. Last night ]
give one of the men watchin' me postal
| quarter to go to the sutler for rum,
and"
General" interrupted Gen. Heath,
Corporal Plunk's testimony makes all
clear. The work on which you sent
me has been accomplished, but not by
me. Lieut.. Hall and Corporal PUNK
have done their part, but it is this brave
girl" pointing to Margaret, "who, hav-
ing assumed the ignominy which right
fully belonged to others, in face of mis-
understanding on my part and it's con-
sequent harshness-a harshness shall
| regret to my dying day-while her two
associates on the expedition were
/, asleep, saw the transfer of Longstreet's
corps.
"And now" he continued. "haying
witnessed her yindieation, it only re-
mains to defend myself against the
venom of that serpent. Maj. Berante,
you were about to read a certain let
ter from me to the mayor of - when
you were interrupted by Corporal
Plunk's entrance. I beg you to pro-
ceed.''
"Circumstantia1 evidence" he said,
II have always considered worthless,
and this mans testimony convinces me
that have been right. Were it worth
my while, and had time and oppor-
tunity, could easily refute all that
has been brought against me. Instead,
l will give you something that is in
black and white, written and signed
by that man" Pointing to Gen. Heath),
whose treachery has long been sus-
pected, but now for the first time is
to be conclusively proved"
Then he read:
Fort -, Texas, March =, 1861.
ITO the Mayor of -.
THE consideration you offer Is ample.
| but 1t will require several days to disarm
the men, as l dare only order the with
| drawal of a few muskets at a time, making
1 excuses to send arms and ammunition to
neighboring posts on pretended requests
IA. H."
Berante, having finished, stepped to
the presiding judge and handed lin
the letter. The stiffness of death fell
upon us all. Margaret, notwithstand-
ing it's damning character, received it
with defiant glance at the reader.
The general in chief, beneath his
sphinX-like exterior, gave evidence, in
the restless turning of his eyes from
accuser to accused, that he was deep
ly impressed. Col. Archard stood thun-
derstruck at the sudden turn events
had taken, regarding with surprise and
anger his subordinate, who had with
held his intentions from him. Gen.
Heath stood facing his accuser, but
gave no token by his expression as to
his guilt or innocence.
Did you write that letter, general?''
asked the chief.
II did"
General" exclaimed Margaret, adj
dressing the chief, "the man who bears
that letter induced my brother, a mere
boy, to put his neck in a halter, and
when suspected threw the proof of his
treachery on his comrade. have
known both these men, and tell YOU
that Maj. Berante is capable Of any
iniquity, while Gen Heath"
The faces of the group fastened on
her in surprise made Margaret sudden.
ly conscious of what she was saying
for {, crimson flush unfurled itself in
her cheek, and she shrank back. The
commander-judge, touched by this out
burst of confidence, asked, kindly:
why do you place such trust in one
who has not trusted your"
Because the evidence against me
was so strong that Gen. Heath would
have been fool to trust me-"
"The evidence against you was cir
cumstantial, that against him is writ
ten. Written evidence is, believe, the
strongest known in law"
Were he to write himself traitor OF
q hundred sheets would not beliey,
, him guilty"
! "Why?"
Because"
He waited to hear her reason. b,,