Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-10-10

" oihei tuuitt SHbot W III H.
She brought it up 10 her shoulder
and. after pointing it To the wall. lev
elcd it first at one man, then at the
other. They both looked 4. trfe nerv-
Gus. bur said nothing Then she made
a motion to cock it when the muzzle
was covering one of the men. and he
protested. She burst into n merry
laugh.
What brave man. Can't stand
being pointed at by girl! Ever in a
battle? What's it like?"
The soldier made no reply, but reach
ed for his carbine and seemed very
much relieved when she suffered him
to take it. There was no more play, for
at that moment we heard the sound of
horses hoofs, and. looking out through
the hall doorway, saw two men riding
up to the house. The one was Captain
Beaumont. the other Tom Jaycox, the
bitterest of all my Tennessee enemies
and upon whom | had visited most
summary punishment for the part he
had taken in the massacre. In another
minute they had dismounted and as
cended the steps Of the gallery, then
came rapidly through the hall. Cap
tain Beanmont's appearance denoted
that there was something on his mind
of great moment. His companion lum-
bered along beside him with the APP
pearance of one looking for something
or some one Of peculiar interest to
him. He was short, thickset man in
corduroy trousers, double breasted
vest, open, no coat and broad brim-
med straw hat, the hue Of which indi-
Gated that it had served for several
summers. His nose had been broken,
and he had lost an eye. A coarse. stub
by. brown and gray beard grew on his
chin. An uglier specimen Of the poor
white of the south could scarcely be
imagined, and the moment saw him,
knowing of his enmity for me, l gave
myself up for lost.
There he is" said Captain Beau
mont.
~ reckoned so," replied the other.
Hes yo' man.
"Who is he?" asked Miss Jack quick
ly.
"a renegade from the south, an abo-
ltion hound. one O. our east Tennessee
dogs. What he's dom hyar I dunno;
but l reckon he's on some Grant fo'
the Yankee gineral Mt Murfreesboro"
Suddenly all the careless, indolent de-
meanor Of the captain deserted him.
With true southern impulse. without
stopping to investigate the charge. he
was fired by the story that he held in
his hands one who, though q southern
er. was hunting information for the de.
tested Yankees .GaiN-
"Guard" he called
The TWO men approached.
Take him away. and sec that he
doesn't get back here. don't ever
want to see him again.
| was stunned. I knew we'll what
this order meant. I had heard it given
IN case Of outlaws and knew that it
was the form in which orders were
given to take men out and shoot them.
Many guerrilla received his sentence
in those words.
Captain" cried, ''if you shoot me,
you will commit murder! That mani
pointing to the brute beside him-"is
the real murderer. / know him well.
saw him shooting down women and
children. 1 saw him I stopped
short. There was an incredulous look
ON the captains face. knew that my
eccuser had his confidence. I realized
that denials and counter accusations
were expected from one in my position
and would have no weight.
Jaqueline, though she could not have
understood the captains order, from
my words and from my stricken ap-
pearance, realized the situation. She
stood paralyzed. but only for a mo-
ment. While the guards were adj
vancing toward me she stole up to the
captain and slipped her arm through
his. When be looked down at her, she
was gazing up into his face with the
perfection of coquetry. watched the
effect eagerly. His first expression was
one of surprise; then all severity died
away. An amused look followed, min
gled with admiration, and at last he
broke into pleasant smile.
CHAPTER VI.
AN AMATEUR souBRErTE.
" HAVE seen men Giisarmed id vari-
81 Gus ways. by argument. fear,
M force, but never have seen one so
quickly vanquished as he who was
about to rush me of to execution. His
intended act was most unwarranted,
and had he been induced to refrain by
logical arguments 1 should not have
been surprised. But Jaqueline knew
nothing of logic or the merits of the
case. She used no plea; she conquered
by look
What queer man"
''Who-I" The captains smile
broadened.
"Queerest man ever saw. What do
yo' want to take him away TO-? Don't
yo know he's wounded, and we just got
him fixed up" 4
'You don't mean it, He spoke as
deferentially as if the information were
really a surprise to him.
Don't want ever to see him againa