The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-09-07
CN~NNNSNN~
; n DESERTER.
Reginald HorseIey, in Chambers Journal

| this result he had turned his back upon
| his post; II was for this that he had
| persistCntly refused to hear the clear
| voiced call of duty; IT was for thts
| that he had sacrificed his honor lost his
right for all time to hold up his head
i'm the sight of brave and honest mon.
| lie had betrayed his trust but to iind his
! Journey idle after all. lie iashed himself
/ With bitter upbraidings For him to he
| 50 taken in, Was IT likely that a war
party, intent upon battle. would burden
| themselves with prisoners? He ought To
| have known better. Whispering Pines
was no doubt I'm ashes; Agnes. too surely,
| dead. And he, by this vain pursuit, had
| lost not only her-that was already ac-
| complshcd-but all that hereafter might
| make his life sweet as well.
! lie Hung himself face downward upon
| the damn ground, not striving to stay
| the harsh dry sobs that shook his body.
| He was a strong man indCspair and, So
| weaker than the weakest woman. He
| could not get back, he knew, though it
| might bC the Indians would not attack
| before dawn, and dawn was yet far dis
| tant But even so, how could hc break
| through the Gordon of red men, even now
| surrounding the devoted Floyd? That
| was impossible. To make 4 long circuit
was equally impossible in point Of time.
| No: all was lost-Agnes, his honor, his
comrades, his general lie alone would
night Should ne? No never. At least
he could die. even as those he had
| brought to their death. The thought
comforted him somewhat ana he rose to
his feet.
His decision was instant, his action
| prompt. With a rapid movement he
drew from his pocket a piece Of cord,
tied one end round his foot, and attached
the other to the trigger of his musket.
Then he put the muz2le in his mouth.
For an instant ne stood eyes closed,
| breath coming and going rapidly, for
even to brave man death comes not
wholly without terror "ASnes!' he
sighed. a strong shudder shook him,
and he dashed the muzzte from his face,
and flung the muskct To the ground.
MY God" he exclaimed, half wrath
fully, half fcarfully, what was | about
to do? If | must die let mo meet death
as man, not as coward. 1T IS not
vet too late. 1t cannot he. Il shall not
lC. ] will go back. ! will break ChroJgh
the Creek lines somehow. I may redeem
my honor i'm part if not, then let death
come how he will, but not by my own
hard"
The darkness of the night had deep
! encd. thourh il wanted but an hour to
dawn and the Creek forces, crouchinS in
| the dense pine woods before Floyu'S DO-
sition. waited for the first lifting of the
shadows to hurl themselves upon their
! unSuspcCtirg foe. Above FlOyd'S men,
tired after their long march, slept sound
| ly, ignorant Of the proximity OF their
blUodthrsty enemies, unconscious that
the sentrics along the outer line had all
| been slah-all save one, and that one a
descrter from his post a traitor to his
| trust.
In grim silence and sanguinc of success,
the fierce Greeks, their faces painted
hideOuSly for war. awaited their oDpOr-
tuuty. - faint breeze, herald of the
morn, had arisen, rust!inS gently among
| the pinc-ncedlts Sayc for this and the
occasional Crunt of a hog roofing here
and there among the mast, Jl.ly the low,
half-hcld breathing of the red men br roke
| the stiffness.
ghc first faint trembling streaks Of pink
wavered up into the sky, the white mis's
Curled upward from river and swamp,
just pcrCeptible in the gloom, and the hog
wandered ON, Sruntng and roofing, too
careless or too stupid to avoid the red
men all around it, More than once it
COllided in the darkness with the legs of
some watchful warrior, to dart away with
with a squeal followed by the curses of
the brave, who dared not move for fear
of exposing his position. And so, turning
hithcr ana thither in its search for food,
the beast bundcrcd on to where Bald
Eagle and his fellOw-Chicf. Whistling
. | Hawk, stood beside a tree and discourscd
their plans for the coming attack. Terri
fled, apparently. the hog stood still for o
moment, and then. with snort of dis
gust, swung round and wadded off in It's
unganly fashion It's back turned, how
| ever, its terror seemed to be overcome,
and once again it halted and began to
| grub for roots, rOVinE eisurcly from one
tree to another
The two chiefs gazed idly at the animal
for Il moment, and then Whistling Hawk
drew an arrow from his quivcr and fitted
it to his bOwstring.
Not so, my brother" intcrpOsed Bald
Eagle, laying "A OBTAINING hand upon the
| others wrist Shoot not lest If YOU
only wOurd the brute, it run off toward
the camp Of the pale-taces, and bctray
us by your arrow. Go and warn our
, young men upon the left that the time
is at hand. I will tell those upon the
right"
Waugh was all the reply Whistrng
Hawk vouchsafed, and the red chiefs
moved away.
But as they disappeared. the hog sat IN
on his launches, its fOrcpaws dangling
oddly, while from underneath the coarse
hide hand stole forth Then the mask
was cautiously raised, flung back from
the face it concealed, and out from the
, greasy skin Crawled a man, who cast
himself nat upon his face and lay still
But the Indians were behind him now
and his friends i'm front, and, though lie
moved slowly, yet in no long time he
reached a sentry, who he passed with a
whispered word and hurried to the gen
erals tent
"Duerdon" cried Floyd, springing tc
, his feet as the young man burst in upon
him with little ceremony, what are
you doing here? why have you left your
, ! pOst?"
"Why have you left your post?" The
sharp and sudden question recalled q
for am instant he struggled vainly C
, | speak Recovering himself, he briefly
, | detailed to the general the presence OF
, | the foe in large numbers and how he had
contrived to got through their lines.
Floyd wasted no further time in ques
, tiOns after this, but dashed from his tent
! order after order tumbling from his lips
His dispositions made, he returned once
, ! more to Amos. II have news for YOU
, | Duerdon," he said, good news, TOO II
, | seems that the Greeks made a descent
upon Whispering Pines ana burned 1t
| but the settlers had got word of theii
, | approach in some way, and deserted tho
, place A party of them arrived abou
, | an hour ago with women ana children
] have sent the latter along with tn,
, | old men, to one Of our communicating
, | posts in the rear. All who could iigh
] have detained here" he finished grim
, | ly.
Amos caught back his breath sharply
Truly, his punishment was beginning
, | "Agnes?" he muttered,
, "Wcll ana safe" answered Floyd
a | Chcerily. You can join her or she you
after this little affair is over, Tor we shal
win, of course. 1t is a---"
T, A shot Another and another Then
l spatteTing yolley, and the Wild tcrrid,
p Indian war-whoop, as the Greeks spran.
$ frnm Ihnir cnNnr- shot down lnn rnululn