Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1899-08-29

woman should ever again extract Sc
cret from ine--a vow l religiously kept
until was besieged by the next WON.
| an.
PUNK had gone on watch at eight
o'clock, and when ! went out from
the warm fire into the cold moonlight
] saw him walking back and forth, oc-
casionally swinging his arms to keep
himself warm. / selected round root
of tree for pillow, wrapped myself
| in my blankets, and tried to sleep. But
the ill-humor was in prevented. Added
to the cause which had produced it
was another. had given Margaret my
blanket. and was covered by one used
under my saddle. During my rest it
was constantly a question whether l
should endure the cold or the odor of
horse.
finally got some sleep, and when
PUNK called me at 12 o'clock I shook
myself awake and turned out to assume
my watch. The moon, which was just
at the full, stood on the meridian, light
ing up the mountains, the valley, and
the river winding through the hills like
a huge glow-worm. have always had
an especial friendliness for the moon.
Tonight its round face seemed to have
an amused quizzical look on 1t, as much
as to say: What's very comical, your
letting her get your secret from you.
But don't worry over it, my boy; if
you had watched as many men fooling
women as l have, you'd see that the
balance Is on the other SIDE"
made up my mind to dismiss Mar
garet and the moonlight from my mind
and try to remember that had duty
to perform. was especially anxious
to keep awake. But was young, and
the young need plenty of sleep. With
out great care l would drop away in
spite of myself. So I walked and swung
my arms and occasionally ran few
yards till felt tired, then sat down on
the ground and fell to thinking of the
probable uselessness of our expedition.
1--WE have had our fighting and our
watching and our marching all for moth
ing" l muttered to myself. Twas get
ting drowsy. eve have had our fight
ing"-the tree tops kept rustling-"and
our watching"-a thin cloud sailed
lazily over the moon-"and our march
ing" This was the last word; slum-
Der came before could repeat an
other.
dreamed that l was up in a tree,
clinging to branches tossed by the wind.
held on till sudden gust loosened
my grip, and was about to fall,
|, when
A hand grasped my shoulder. Open
ing my eyes, blinded by the rising sun,
looked up. There, directly over me,
were the stern face and steel-gray eyes
of the general.
do you know the penalty of sleeping
ON post?"
was too dazed to reply, but sat star
ing at him, wondering If he had not
come up through the bowels of the
earth.
81 will tell you," he added. at is
DEATH"
I made an effort to rise, but his grip
was on my shoulder and held me down.
where is your guide2"
I'm the cave, general"
"Are you sure?"
"1'll stake my life omit"
Hc took his hand away and stalked
to the cavern, while l rose as quickly
as my joints, stiffened by cold, would
permit, and followed him, entering di-
rectly behind him.
Great heaven! Margaret was not
there.
"Fool!" he muttered, contemptu.
ously.
81 left her here" exclaimed. "Afy
God! where could she have gomez"
Gone? To betray you"
started to give him the lie, but his
glance and movement of his hand to
his sword-hilt told me what the mu-
tinous word would cost ME, and l re-
Trained.
Where did you come from, generate"
From the plantation"
"What for?"
what for? Am to explain my acts
to my subordinutes? Well, under the