Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1902-07-26

was certainly the big voice of my friend
John Acton of the morning before; and,
while / listened, the turning Of my
thought to him led them, for the first
time since that strange meeting In the
woods, back to the old house at Cow
ans Ferry and to her who had taken
such a hold upon me-: so that at first
the words seemed to carry little mean
to my mind.
Heaven bring It that ( is indeed
your man, John. For 1 have followed
the fellow up and down this country
now for two weeks, till the pursuit of
him and the desire to come up with him
nave grown to a strange fascination"
This other voice was clear, cool, and
penetrating, and came of a different
character from such as one saw day by
day among officers n men in the rank
and file OF the Continental army. II
was no English accented voice, but Ii
showed a great degree of cultivation.
What bearing and clothes had he?
Though the clothes might be changed"
he added. But 1 have seen that hend
again and again, always riding, always
with a great cape, always at night"
True, lad" said the other: "he did,
indeed. wear a great cape, and he rode
down from the heavens 1t full speed to
my rescue"
And then dlsappeared?"
Aye, like the smoke from a gun
pouf! II he was gone"
And some ten miles this side Of Go
vans Ferry" the first voice said mus
ingly; 1T was Whereabouts I've come
upon him."
What set We on the man, Rob?"
asked the voice of Acton. l began now,
In good truth, to catch every word, for
l could place one man at least.
IT is under the rose, John, but the
fellow is trying to double spy. or so the
commander-in-chief fears. But t is
thought, too, he belongs to Clinton. The
colonel took me into his confidence, and
l am to try to run him to earth. l
would not tell this even to you, but
that l have the colonel's consent to take
your help. He goes by the name of Cap
tain Hazeltinc, and as sure as there Is
a God In heaven, l will come up with
the man yet. 1t grows now to be a per-
sonal thing 'twiXt him and met
Then the Lord help him!" interrupt
ed the other. And at that / was pulled
by the sleeve n marched into the
room.
AS we passed through the door. I
caught q sudden exclamation, and,
turning, recognized the mar I had
helped on the highway, dressed now in
a. liSblCilalll y ILL., III hlcW ne
recognized me. Well, we should see
what might be the outcome OF 1t all;
and If l were to AVE spoken my mind
then, l cared not q tinker's dam.
Number 49," called out a deep and,
to me just then, irritating voice. Re
port for examination"
1 only saw In the morning sunshine
that the room was filled with a num-
Der Of commissioned and non-commis-
stoned officers, and was about to move
to the place allotted to me, when he
who called himself Acton stepped up
and frankly shook my hand.
"Ah, my friend, here you are! Rob-"
said he, with calm disregard of the ex-
aiming officer near by, Rob, here is
the man who kept me from the worms"
That mani" muttered the other. He
had a straight figure, O fine, strong
face, pale. a little sombre In express
sion, but TO the full extent what the
voice had intimated. NAY, friend" he
added dejectedly: ct is no more like
the other than you or l."
Gentlemen" said the officer sharply.
order. an 1t please you We must pro-
coed with the examinations. Your
name, sir" turning to me.
Merton Balfort," said 1.
mo middle name?"
mo"
Il respect hat mans parents" said
Acton In a stage whisper. "One Of us
Is spared a middle name"
ct is necessary to have order here,
gentlemen" cried the officer sharply.
quite right, too" nodded Acton, with
mock seriousness.
Your home, sir!'
Massachusetts Colony" said I.
What town."
Boston"
The cradle of liberty-next to Vir-
ginia," murmured Acton in his ponder
Gus whisper which drew a smile from
every n present.
Lieutenant, l shall clear this room if
order cannot be maintained.
Then the nervous strain / was labor
Ing under became too much for me.
Sir" said 1, turning to Acton, Il beg
that you Will let the examination pro-
coed. You asked me TO call on you, and
/ do so noW." .
your age?" cried the examining Of
ficer loudly.
"TweHty-two."
Occupation"
Lieutenant In the division Of General
Israel Putnam"
You are q soldier of the Colonies? %
Aye, a soldier of the colonies" / said
raising my voice; for t was beyond me
" NSND NaAAsAA OAi6N lAN Nlllo IuSS
tioning, and, as l have already said, l
was come to that frame OF mind where
l cared not q whit what might come OF
it all.
Then fell a bombshell into hat COM
pany.
II do not believe it," half muttered
the officer.
That cooled me at once, and 1 replied
THAT is the remark OF q coward,
sir"
"Ynu call me-he calls me coward,
coward" reared the examiner, jumping
up and humping his desk, while a dead
silence fell over the whole company.
1T is further the remark Of a bad
officer and q weak man."
God help me, what dost say?" cried
the ran again.
Il say that 1 ask to be taken to the
commander Of this fort. IT is said /
must be examined. / say Very well,
proceed; examine ana you begin by
giving me the lie, when, as man to
man, / AVE no retaliation. You are,
therefore, a weak a and a coward.
You say this instead of putting to pa
per my examination, for your superior
and better 10 read and judge. IT is the
method of n bad officer. You see Z is
simple enough"
That is a brave man." came over the
room in the deep tones 1 had heard con-
versing but now with Lieutenant Ac-
ton. He speaks the truth"
why, you impudent ~scoundrel!''
cried the Infatuated officer. do you
know whom you address," He was toe
astonished to do more than stare at me
In amazement. But l was bent on CIV
ing vent to the hours Of pent-up misery
l had just passed through, and 1t did
my soul good 10 say so,
In my colony, when there ONE a
prisoner and shows by mis- manner that
he has aught of importance to say, he
is taken to the commanding officer.
Evidently the military discipline OF
V~erpIancks is of a different sort"
Sergeant" roared the man. Ser
geant! Here, take this-tbis-' He fell
over himself In his endeavor to speak.
Take this--man away, and put him