The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1899-11-17

veranda!
"You here?"
"Yes; why not?"
"Why, l thought perhaps, inasmuch
as your neck was in halter, you might
take advantage of the scrimmage to get
away"
How could I? The gate was
blocked"
Not while we were following the
enemy"
"The sergeant put q sentinel there
as soon as you left"
Nonsense! Why do you try to de-
ceive me? You did not wish to leave
or you would have found a way"
An expression of pain passed over
her face which ] could not understand.
She sat down; l placed myself beside
her. Below us in the yard men were
caring for the wounded, and when all
were removed, burial parties began
spading by the light of torches, inter
ring the dead where each had fallen.
We could hear the rhen talking and see
their dimly lighted figures, while every
now and again torch was held before
an ashen face, body was lifted into
| its grave. we could hear q sound of fall
| ing earth then n funeral volley. |
was continually thinking that the girl
beside me might within day or two be
put into her own grave-not an honor
able one, but that of felon. Margaret
sat alternately looking at the grave
diggcrs and averting her face, fasci-
mated yet repealed by the grim sight.
"Strange condition, war;" l said.
"Horrible!"
She looked so wretched that / could
not refrain from resting my hand for
moment on hers. She did not withdraw
it, though something told me that it
was no dawning love that led her TO
leave it in mine, but craving for sym
pathy for some friend on whom to lean.
| tried to speak to her encouragingly,
but there was something so grewsome
in the ashen faces of the dead, the
torches, the clods falling on the uncof-
fined bodies that | too was filed with
gloom and remained silent.
An orderly rode up to the gallery with
an order for me TO report to the general.
| Leaving my NOil puilpl' Ntll " mn
at once, and found him pacing before
his tent, while Walter was engaged in
taking down the names of the prison
ers, who were being paroled to 90 to
their homes, for we had no force to
! guard them, and they nearly all lived in
| Tennessee. As ! came up the general
looked at me eagerly.
"You sent for me, general"
Eyes. Miss Beach-where is she?"
"In the house"
He could not conceal look of disap-
pointment.
"Tell her to get ready for a journey"
he said.
"Shall l inform her where she is to
go?"
ITO Gen. Burnside"
1T would be hardly safe" ventured,
ito send her under guard of less than
a hundred men, and | supposed you
wished to keep the command together
Besides, her guard might be either dis
persed or captured. In that case the
game would not be worth the candle"
He looked at me, surprised that
should dare to instruct him as to what
course he should pursue. Then he
amazed me by asking: what would
you do with her?"
| 81 would put her on her parole of
honor not to escape, and let her do as
she likes within the limits of the planta-
ton"
"A spy! parole!"
"If you will parole her, general, l will
be responsible for her with my head"
You would lose your head"
l am natural gambler; it is many II
year since have staked n penny, but al
that time l was considered the best
poker-player in the brigade.
81 will wager" was beginning.
mo, no, lieutenant; I'm not in the
habit of gambling with my staff, and on
such a subject. Take her parole not to
escape or aid the confederate cause, and
| hold you responsible for its keeping.
II she breaks it, l will dismiss you from
my statf, try you by court-martial for
neglect of duty, and enforce the sever
est penalty the court will inflct"
Done" cried. II accept the termA"
went straight to the house, and in
few minutes was with Miss Beach.
II have an important announcement
to make to you. The general has decid-
ed magnanimously to take your parole
to put you on your word of honor to
do nothing that will aid the confederate
cause, or to escape"
/ pronounced the words with some
thing of flourish--for | was delighted
as well as proud to have accomplished
the feat of gaining the generals assent
TO my planvand waited for her reply
She stood for awhile looking down at
tho floor in deep meditation.
ut is not the generals magnanimity
that grants this parole; it is yours"