The National tribune., 1902-03-20

dy, and spread under him." commanded
ST.
Pete. bring mine to lay over him.
said Shorty
Thank you. gentlemen said Lieut..
Cossrovc, as the rest hOyered around, vie
ing with one another in doing whatever
they could to make him comfortable You
are very kind. | hope that | shall be
| able to return the compliment at an early
day"
Otterbein Kramer came up, and was
recognized by the Lieutenant. What
are you doing here, Kramer? Where are
The rest of the men?' he asked.
The others have fallen back beyond
Moccasin Greek. l staid behind. to join
the Yankees, which l have long been try
ing to do
''You scoundrel, knew you to be the
vericst coward on earth. l didn't think
you were n traitor, too"
Blessed are We when men shall reviie
you and persccute you, and say all man
ner of evil against you falsely" said
Kramer mcekly. I'm doing right accord
ing to my light, and am going where my
heart has always been
After all my protection and kindness
to yOu. you now desert the cause because
you think it is falling said Lieut.. Cos
grove bitterly.
nave HuHltu you up, lLttuIenI0I. 10
thank YOU for all your kindness, and to
say that | never should forget it. no mat
ter how far apart our paths should lie.
l believe that you are conscientious in
the course you are taking. though it is
very hard for me 70 imagine that there
should he any conscience in so bad n
! "ause, which constantly leads to taking
human life. You must give me credit for
at least equal conscience. though. in GO
ing over to the cause which | think is
right. Again, / thank you for what you
have done for me. G0ad-by, and may God
open your eyes to the error of our ways"
You canting coward" shouted the
| Lieutenant. Il hope that you'll be caught
| and hanged before you get to the Sake
hatchie"
They all went back to the camp on the
hill. and prenared 10 spend the night
Il hear that you fellows have got n
team and wagon up here" said the Quar-
termaster of the 1st Oshkosh. coming up
to them. II want it to use down there
at the bridge
Here it is" answered ST. leading him
over to it. I'VE thought we'd take some Of
that bedding and stuff in it for our own
usc'
'Take everything that's in it, answered
the Ouartermaster. after a moments in
snectinn of the contents. 81 don't want
anything but the wagon and horses.
llttu IIttIl Illi our OVID yet over.
your men in there to throw the things
out, SOS can have the empty wagon at
cnce"
81 spoke to the boys, and in a minute
or two everything was tumbled out on
the ground. and one of the Ouartermas-
ter's men drove the wagon off.
They began to sort out the bedding, COW
erlets and other things, with reference to
their use in their camp for the night,
when they came across a stout leather
valise, which had been hidden under the
bedding. 1t was securely strapped and
locked, and bore on its side in large black
letters:
"COMMIssARY OF SUBSISTENCE,
G. s. A.
Probably his papers. Mebbe some.
thing in it, though. that'll be of import
ance for the General to know. Let's open
it at once"
He unbuckled the straps, and with the
point of a bayOnet forced the lock. He
started back in surprise, for the valise
was filed with packages of new, clean
Confederate bills done up in packages Of
81 900 each, with strip of stout paper
around each package.
Great Jehosephatr' exclaimed Shorty,
after they had counted over several pack
ages, and then. the number of packages
in the valise. There's a clean 100000
there. What on earth are we gong to do
with it?''
Il suppose it ought to be sent back to
the Colonel at once, to be sent to Corps
Headquarters
BAH snorted Shorty 'They don't
want those rags there. They've got all
they want at headquarters. Why, me and
you have seen the Adjutant and Quarter
master playing poker with what they
picked up during the march through Geor-
gia with $1,000 ante and $4,000 raise. 1
doubt if they'd thank US for packing it
back to them"
We'll keep it till morning." decided
81. 'and then conclude what to do with
it,"
He fixed the vaise for a pillow. cover
ing it carefully with the bed-clOthes, so
that it could not he stolen away in the
night without awakening him.
(To be continued)