The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1901-09-18

The prisoner was arraigned on the
aviest charge that can be laid against
the soldier of any army. and yet, as the
many eyes Of the military crowd turn
ed on him where he stood surrounded
by his guard, his crime against his
chief was forgotten, and they only re-
membered Zaraila. He preserved en-.
tire reticence in court The instant the
accusation had been read ITO him he
!. had seen that his chief would not dare
to couple with it the proud, pure name
he had dared to outrage. His most
bitter anxiety was thus at an end. For
all the rest he was tranquil.
No case could be clearer, briefer, less
complex, more entirely incapable of de-
Tense. The soldiers Of the guard gave
evidence as to the violence and fury Of
the assault. The accuser merely stated
that, meeting his corporal out Of the
bounds of the cavalry camp, he had
asked him where he had been and on
his commanding an answer had been
assaulted in the manner described
with violence sufficient to have cost his
life had not the guard been so near at
hand. The, statement passed without
contradiction by the prisoner, who only
replied that the facts were stated ac-.
curately as they occurred and that his
reasons for the deed he declined to as
sert. When it was finally demanded
of him if he had aught to urge in his
own extenuation. he paused moment,
with a gaze under which even the hard
eagle eyes grew restless. looked across
to Chateauroy and addressed his an,
tagonist rather than the president:
only this-that tyrapt, liar and
traducer cannot wonder If men pre-
fer death to submission beneath insult.
But am well aware that this is no
vindication Of my act as soldier, and
I have no desire to say words which.
whatever their truth. might become
hereafter dangerous legacies and dan
gerous presidents to the army
That was all which he answered, and
neither his counsel nor his accusers
could extort another syllable from him.
He never moved once while the decree
of death was read to him. and there
was no change in the weary calmness
Of his eyes. He bent his head in ac-
quiescence.
1T is WELL" he said simply.
1t seemed well to him. Dead, his
secret would lie in the grave with him
and the long martyrdom of his life be
ended
In the brightness Of the noon olga
rette leaned out Of her little oval case
ment, and. for the first time also, hap
piness was not with her.
They were gone forever-all the elias
tic joyance, all the free. fair hours, all
the dauntless gayety Of childhood, all
the sweet, harmonious laughter of
heart without care They were gone
forever. for the touch of love and pain
had been laid on her. and never again
would her radiant eyes smile cloud
lessly, like the young eagles. at a sun
that rose but to be greeted as only
youth can greet another dawn of life
that is without a shadow. To her it
seemed impossible that this patrician
who had his passion should not return
1t. She only thought of love as she
had always seen it-quickly born. holly
cherished, wholly INDUCED and without
tie or restraint.
And | came without my vengeancev'
she unused. To the nature that felt
the ferocity Of the vendetta right
and a due there was Wounding humiIi-
alton in her knowledge that she had
left her rival unframed and had come
hither, out from his sight and his
presence, lest he should see in her one
glimpse of that folly which she would
have killed herself under her own steel
rather than have betrayed either for
his contempt or his compassion.
The touch Of a bird S wing brushing
her hair brought the dreamy compare
son to her wandering thoughts. She
started and lifted her head. 1t was q
blue carrier pigeon, one of the many
she fed at that easement and the swift
est and surest of several she sent with
messages for the soldiers between the
various stations and corps She had
forgotten she had left the bird at the
encampment. W
She caressed it absently, while the
tired creature sank down on her bosom.
Then only she saw that there was 81
letter beneath one wing.
She found an old French cobbler sit
ting at q stall in q easement stitching
leather. He was her customary reader
and scribe in this quarter. She touch
ed him with the paper. Good Ma
thieau, wilt thou read this to me ~
And he read aloud
There is i'll news. send the bird on 4 chance
TO find thee. Bel-a-fairepe ur struck the Black
Hawk light blow, but with threat to kill fol-
lowing It. He has been tried and is to be shot.
There is no appeal The case is clear. The colo
mel could have cut him down, were that all,
thought you should know. We are all sorry. It
was done on the night % the great fete. am
thy humble lover and slave.