Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1901-04-12

Obliged The soldier expressed him
self grateful, and Holbin went away,
making light of the service and with
out further effort to trespass upon the
girls rare mood. On the inner stair
he paused in deep thought, his dark
race savagely triumphant. His moth
er met him in the hall above and
read excitement in his every move
ment.
What is it, Raymond?" He hest
tated and smiled wickedly.
II am afraid even you would BIO
shocked, mother mine. But trust me,
when 1 do tell you about it, you will
not be ashamed of your cub"
Raymond, how dare you?" The
woman's face grew crimson, and then
white as from a sudden terror. He
showed his teeth and disappeared be-
fore she could stop him. Angry and
uneasy, she sought her own ROOM
The wounded soldier rode next day
with Raymond Ilolbin, his pale face
rejecting the light OF liberty's sun
not yet risen for him, his blue uni
form busted and cleaned until every
button was as of gold.
"Good-by, miss" he said; "I'll de-
liver your message, an / know the
cap'n III be proud man to see me
back!" He offered nanny his last
greenback, but it was Indignantly re-
fused, witnesses being present.
Dat green money amt no good
down here nohow."
1T will be-" said the soldier, sim
ply.
Holbin returned next day and gave
vivid account of his parting with
the happy prisoner; and then he I'M
mediately sought his own room; but
not before Frances, little ashamed
of herself, had thanked him warmly
for his kindness to her soldier.
Upon the same day the confederate
reliet picket found federal soldier
lying dead within their lines. He
Aed been shot from behind with a
pistol held 80 close to his coat that
1t was Burned by the powder. The
affair afforded but few minutes
discussion, for the explosion of fire.
Aims whs almost incessant at times.
and dead men in June, 1862, were
plentiful around Richmond. The only
part of the mystery worth consider
ing from the military standpoint was
how the man got through the lines at
that particular place. A watch taken
from his body contained the names of
Capt. Richard Somers and the regi-
neht to which he was attached, and
also the likeness of an elderly wom-
an. 1t was surmised that the victim
OF the pistol shot was a deserter and
robber; that he had been captured
and killed while attempting violence
or an escape. The officer into whose
possession the watch drifted was in
charge of burial party next day un-
der flag of truce, and, learning that
Capt. Somers was among the troops
opposite, sent the watch to him with
courteous explanation. The graft
fication of Capt. Somers was only
equaled by his bewlderment. Many
weeks before he had Entrusted the
jewel to his faithful artilleryman. and
this soldier, he had been assured, was
left dead upon the bloody battlefield.
His conclusion was that some one had
robbed the body at that time and
had been overtallen by fate while en-
gagged in some other nefarious enter
prise. But when Capt. Somers cas-
ually opened the locket and found
therein long. slender curl of red
dish golden hair and on the narrow
ribbon with which it was tied the
name Frances" he was involved in
hopeless mystery. He was within
sound of the Richmond church bells
that morning, and between the inter-
walls of fighting and moving to new
positions he had already in magma
ton entered that city. The name
thus sent was the only tidings of
Frances he had ever received, and it
made him sadly happy man.
ITO be continued