Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1899-11-15
move has taken n1aceD

and Miss Beach at the ford and rode
back. got these things on the way
pointing to his disguise-"and walked
straight into Col. Archard's lines.
found Enoch there, settin' on log by
q campfire with Maj. Berante-that
gentleman there. / crouches behind
tree and hears the whole confab. Enoch
tells the major that the lieutenant and
Miss Beach have gone on with the in
formation of Gen. Longstreet's move.
The major calls halt till he kin report
the fact to Col. Archard-that gentle
man there. Maj. Berante gifts permits
sion to send detachments on to chase
'em, then goes to a house near by and
comes back with a paper. i don't know
what it was, but TUX it tibet he wrote
it himself. Leastways he tells Enoch
thet 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
l tackles him. Enoch hollers like u loon,
vedette comes runnin' from one direc-
ton, and an officer of the picket from
another, and they pinned me down and
TUX us both to Maj. Berante.
swell, was in hole. Thinkin' to
gain time, 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'
l tells him q cock-and-bull story about
Gen. Grant sendin' troops around by
Nashville and louisville to Knoxville,
and let's 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't 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
rae 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 its con-
sequent harshness-a harshness l 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, "having
witnessed her vindication, 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
Plunls's entrance. I beg you to pro
ceed."
"Circumstantial evidence" he said
81 have always considered worthless
and this mans testimony convinces me
that have been right. Were it worth
my while, and had l time and oppor
tunity, 1 could easily refute all that
has been brought against me. Instead
will give you something that is ii
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:
..ro -. Fort Fort - :; Texas, March :. 1861.
1.-THE consideration you offer is ample
but it will require several days to disarn
the men, as 1 dare only order the with
drawal of a few muskets at q time, making
excuses to send arms and ammunition t
neighboring posts on pretended requests
"a. H."
Berante, having finished, stepped t.
the presiding judge and handed hin
the letter. The stiffness of death fel
upon us all. Margaret, notwithstand
ing it's damning character, received i
with defiant glance at the reader
The general in chief, beneath hi
sphinx-like exterior, gave evidence, il
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 event
had taken, regarding with surprise ant
anger his subordinate, who had with
held his intentions from him. Gen
Heath stood facing his accuser, blu
gave no token by his expression as II
his guilt or innocence.
Did you write that letter, general2
asked the chief.
81 did,"
General" exclaimed Margaret, ad
dressing the chief, "the man who bear
that letter induced my brother, mer
boy, to put his neck in halter, ant
when suspected threw the proof of hi
trsachery on his comrade. 1 hav
known both these men, and tell ye,
that Maj. Berante is capable of an,
iniquity, while Gen Heath"
The faces of the group fastened o,
her in surprise made Margaret sudden
ly conscious of what she was saying
for crimson flush unfurled itself ii
her cheek, and she shrank back. TIL
COMMUNICATING, touched by this out
burst of confidence, asked, kindly
"Why do you place such trust in on
who has not trusted you?"
because the evidence against M
was SO strong that Gen. Heath woult
have been fool to trust me-"
"The evidence against you was cir
cumstantial, that against him is writ
ten. Written evidence is, believe, tn
strongest known in law"
"Were he to write himself traitor OF
q hundred sheets would not believ
him guilty"
"Why?"
because"
He waited to hear her reason, bu
no reason came; only a tear that glis
tened in her eye.
| Because" said the commander, fin
ishing for her, "you are woman"
Raising his eyes, Gen. Heath CAV