The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1902-12-05

is there naught Of alcohol in this
house,"
Drink. you big fool" cried Low. do
o want to kill him?"
"Oh, he's fit to fight again. and show
me what a man can do besides fight"
Look We here, Atherton," said 1 SER
iously. I'm your prisoner. What will
do with me?"
He'll" said he. Let's talk Of some
thing pleasanter."
That l will not, man." I answered..
Il must get away and you cannot let
me 60"
He looked at me an instant, I
knew the same thought had been in his
mind since he heard | could recover.
"Balfort," he said in a moment, will
o give me your parole Gil the end of
the war?
I knew it long before he said it, and
leaning back on my pillow, 1 told him
l could not.
Give We his parole, you raving idiot"
cried LOW-neVer was such an actor
lived IS that same chirurgeon. why,
look, man! look" and with that he I'M
wound the bandages he had begun to
replace and laid bare the wound. I
looked down at it and my gorge rose
at he sight. IT was a slit, a ragged
cut from my RICH hip up along the ribs
ribs near to my shoulder, a good twelve
inches. Only by the grace OF chance
was it that Hazeltine's point had not
caught on a rib and gone through me.
And the edges stood even now far
apart and ugly and irregular.
"ParOle?" went on the doctor. "Why,
man, he cannot hold a sword for a
year."
Atherton looked at it and took my
hand again.
Friend" said he, will We give me
your parole for six months? To tell
We the truth, your army cannot hold
out that long, and I an safe"
By chance I caught the doctors eye,
and knew in some way that he bade me
accept it, so, lying back again, I told
Anterior 1 would.
Then I get you out of here when you
can move"
Again I gave hin my hand and
thanked him until he swore he'd hear
no more and went off with Low.
And so the days passed on, quickly
enough for a matter .of three weeks.
And then, beginning to feel stronger, 7
commenced to- fret and worry and Won
der when I would get away and what
was happening at West Point, and
where were my companions in Put
MANS division, and what Of Curtis-or
Philipse, as I should call him-and Ac-
ton. I was up now and walking over
the house, but not allowed to go out.
l talked with Low when we were alone
about the best way Of going, n he had
a plan all arranged. But I had another
that was worth ten of his, for that it
had another purpose, which I could
only talk over with one other person,
n that one the baroness. Her aus
band had been away all the time in the
south with his Germans, and SO I saw
much of her-much Of every one, in
fact, except Mistress Debby, who would
talk with me less and less.
So one day I preached my plan to the
good lady. At first she said t would be
impossible, and then, her Eyes shining,
she said I should do it, if she could
bring 1t about. And we began the
scheme by her telling my proud mis-
tress that I was shortly going away.
When next 1 got a word with her, we
had but just finished tea and were
walking in the great drawing room, she
n I. I saw how silent she was, and
with some misgivings began:
Deborah"
"Yes?"
Deborah, soon I must get back to my
camp" said I gently.
you cannot go! You would not go,
would you?" cried she. "You are not
well enough. Will you leave me?"
II am quite well now" I answered,
as quietly a. I could.
"You are not! you are not!" she muir
INJURED, taking hold of my arm and look
ing at me. "You could not stand the
dreadful camp life"
II must, dear. I cannot waste my life
here"
"Waste?" said she, slowly.
you know we'll what I mean"
She sat down then, and I by her, and
naught was said for a while.
II cannot let you go!" said she, pres
emily.
"There's one way III Of it." said L,
Up came her troubled face and looked
at me-.
Twill you come with me?"
The fair face set, and the eyes looked
straight into mine.
II would go anywhere in the world
with you. But what would you do with
me In a camp?"
What liz the Baroness Riedesel in
her castle in Germany, when her hus-
band left her for a camp 5000 miles
across the sea?"
"And brought her children with her,
too" h murmured. Then, looking
up, h added hastily, IT do not fear
to go, believe NJ dear" -
H"I never nee thought you did" And
the baroness coming in then, she ran
to her n threw her arms around her
neck and kissed her. I stood by a mo-
AAlS1AI, LIN lllcIl Lile lille lady IOcned
towards me laid her two hands in
mine, and, looking at me and at the
baroness, she said:
"Ill go gladly. Wilt take me? 2"
AYE, that I will, Debby dear, and
God less. your brave heart. IT will be
a different life from this, and you do
not like the cause"
ST is yours and shall be mine. And
t Is Roberts, too"
1--WE have a little plan,'' said the
baroness to her, Merton and l.. You
shall be married here in this house,
and Captain Atherton will get you
out"
ooh! cried the brazen mink. II think
I'll go as I am
What" cried the baroness.
TIN married enough. now y quoth the
lady with q twinkle in her eye.
You naughty grill" said the scandal
lied matron again.
S2"'T is but a FORM said Deborah,
land I'm satisfied nov" g
"Lieber Herr Je,"" cried the horrifed
baroness, raising her hands at the girl
In amazement.
I could stand it nc longer, but must
spoil all by laughing.
What have you in your heads?''
asked the mystihed lady.
""Naught but this, ma'am,' said Mis-
tress Deborah, and with q sweeping
courtesy she took from her bodice q
paper and handed 1t to the astonished
l--