Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1900-12-01

courage--glared Jim Hooker! And
Clarence Brant, with the whole respon-
sibility of the field on his shoulders
ever at that desperate moment, found
himself recalling a vivid picture OF the
actor Hooker ~personating the charac-
ter OF Red Dick In "Rosalie, the Prai-
RE Flower" as ne had seen him in q
California theater five years beforei
1t wanted still an hour of the dark
ness that would probably close the
fight OF that day. Could he hold out,
keeping his offensive position so long?
A hasty council with his officers
showed him that the weakness OF their
position had already infected them.
They reminded him that his line of re-
treat was still o~pen-that In the course
OF the night the enemy, although still
pressing towards the division center,
might yet turn and outflank him-oT
that their strangely delayed supports
might come up before morning. Brant'
glass, however, remained Axe on the
main column still pursuing its way
along the ridge. 1t struck him sudden
ly, however, that the steady current
had stopped. spread out along the crest
on both sides n was now at right
angles with Its previous course. There
had been a checkt The mex moment
the thunder OF guns along the whole
horizon and the rising cloud OF smoke
revealed a line OF battle. The division
center was engaged. h opportunity
he had longed for had come-thA des-
perate chance TO throw himself on heir
rear and cut his way through h Gtvi-
slon-but Il had come too latei He
looked at his shattered rRnks-scarce q
regiment remained. Even as a emon-
str%ation-the attack would fail against
the enemy's superior numbers. Moth
ing clearly vas left to him now but
to remain where he ~was--within sup
porting distance, and'await the issue of
the fight beyond. He was putting up
his glass when the dull boom of cam
o I'm the extreme western limit of the
horizon attracted his attention. BY
the still cleaning sky he could see a
long gray line stealing up from the VAL
ley from the distant rear of the head
quarters to join the main column. They
were the missing supporters! His
heart leaped! He held the key of the
mystery now. The one imperfect detail
Of the enemy's plan was before him.
The supports coming later from the
west had seen only the second signal
from the window--when Miss Faulkner
had replaced the vase-and had avoid
ed his position. 1t was impossible to
limit the effect OF the blunder! If the
young girl who had thus saved him had
reached the division commander with
his message In time, he might be fore
warned, and even profit by It. His
w position would be less precarious,
as the enemy already engaged in front
would be unable to recover their posi-
ton in the rear, and correct the blum
der. The bull OF their column had al
ready streamed past him. If defeated
there was always the danger that II
might be rolled back upon him-but
hn nnianftnnI shat fhA dtNfGtatn ~
mander would attempt to prevent the
junction Of the supports with the main
column by breaking between them,
crowding them from the ridge and
joining him. AS the last stragglers OF
the rear guard swept by Brant's bugles
were already recalling the skirmishers.
He r~edoubled his pickets, and resolved
to watch and wait.
1t was past midnight, when, without
undressing, he threw himself upon his
bed In the little convent-like cell to
snatch a few moments OF sleep. Its
spotless, peaceful walls and draperies
affected him strangely as If he had
brought into Its immaculate serenity
the sanguine strain Of war. He was
awakened suddenly from a deep slum-
Der by an infinite sense OF alarm. His
first thought was that he had been
summoned to repel an attack. He sat
UP and listened. Everything was silent
except the measured tread Of the sen
try on the gravel walk below. But the
door was opend. He sprang to his feet
and slipped into the gallery, in time
TO see the tall figure OF a woman Gid
ing before the last moonlit window at
It's furthest end. He could not see her
face. but the CHARACTERISED turbaned
head Of the negro race was plainly Wis
ible.
He did not care to follow her, or even
alarm the guard. II 1t we're the spy or
one OF her emissaries. she was power
less now TO do any harm, and under his
late orders n the rigorous vigilance
OF his s%entinels she could not leave the
lines-or indeed the house. She prob
ably knew this as well as he did: II
a therefore. no doubt, only an acct
dental intrusion Of one of the servants.
He re-entered the room and stood for
a few moments by the window looking
owe the monlit ridge. The sounds OF
distant annon had long since ceased.
Wide awake n refreshed by the keen
morning air, which alone Of all created
things seemed to nave shaken the bur-
den Of the dreadful yesterday from it's
dewey wings. he turned away and lit
@ candle on the table. AS he was re-
buckling his sword belt he saw a piece
of paper lying at the foot Of the bed
from which he had just risen. Taking
1t to the candle he read In a roughly
scrawled hand:
You are asleep when you should be
on the march. You have no time to
lose. Before daybreak the supports of
the column you have been foolishly re-
Will be upon you. From one
who would save you, but hates your
For a moment he was transfxed.
The handwriting was unknown, and
evidently disguised. 1t was not the
purport OF the message hal alarmed
him. but the terrible suspicion that
upon him that 1t came from
Miss Faulkner! She had failed In her
to pass through the enemy's
she had never tried to! She
had deceived him, or she had thought
Of her chivalrous impulse and
now tried TO mitigate her second
treachery by his second warning, and
he had let her messenger escape him,
He hurriedly descended the stairs.
The u of voices was approaching
him. He halted and recognized the
faces of brigade surgeon and one Of his
aids-de-camp.
wv were hesitating whether to dis
turb you. general, but IL may be an af-
Of some Importance. Under your
a negro woman was just now
stealing out Of the lines.
to escape, she was chased
and there was a struggle and scramble
the wall, and she fell, striking her
head. She was brought into the guard
house unconscious"
Very good, / will see her." said
Brant, with a feeling of relief.
One moment, general. We thought
you would perhaps prefer to see her
said the urgeon. For when I
endeavored to bring her to and was
sponging her face and head to discover
her injuries her color came off. She
was a white woman. stained ard dis
guised as a mulatto."
For an instant Rrnnt,r honrt q n,Ir