The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1902-08-01

here and there in ragged clothes, that
bore but pitiable resemb lance to uni
forms, and wherever got glimpse
into hut or a tent, only the bare neces-
stiles Of life were in view. AS walked
along between two soldiers, there came
I to me the two men, Acton and his
!, friend, who, whether according to the
code Of discipline or not I cannot tell,
walked by my side.
h The jovial Acton thanked me in his
own way for the little service chance
had enabled me to do him, and pre-
sented me to his friend, Robert Curtis.
From the time had heard the mans
voice he drew me to him, and now that
I saw his serious face, marked by the
lines of some sorrow or care, I took
more and more to him..
These two men spoke to me each in
his own way as We walked across the
camp. And each in his own way gave
me the encouragement that two manly
beings can innpart in unaffected ways
There was little said, but knew that
here were two men such as I had not
yet met in my short life.
So we came to the country mansion
that Livingstone used as his headquar-
tiers, and was ushered into the Ii
brary, or Office, where stood before the
commander of the Verplancks detach-
ment of Washtngtons thin line that
ran from Philadelphia, by way Of Nor
ristown and West Point, into New Eng
land. It was a detachment ever ready
for movement of Clinton's ever
watching; but to a close observer, al
most hopelessly spread out, and by
three quarters less than what 1t should
have been in numbers. #
You have been insulting my officer,
sir, I SEE" said he, after questioning
me as to my station in life.
you are misinformed, SIR" ans
>wered.
How SO? I am reading here"
amy of the witnesses will tell you the
facts" and repeated them.
He sat a moment, looking out of the
window in some thought. and then con-
I tinued:
You fired on picket. That is severe
~ punishable in martial law
Il realize that fully, sir, said. but
ness, and saw the muzzle Of a
gun suddenly thrust before lac. IT was
instructive to defend myself"
These letters, what are they?''
las you see, sir. One TO me from
General Putnam. The other to General
Washington, which you can read as
We'll as L.
''It is in cipher. Read it to me- i
Il do not know the CODE
"Then can send it on to him.. ~. n
I'm that case t will mean little, as
am instructed to add certain details
to it, US
|, ,"You can tell them to me-
with your pardon, Colonel Living
some, I can tell them to no one but
the commandment And, sir,
these reports are Of such Importance
that / urge you to send me on to him,
under guard II you choose, as soon as
possible. IT will work little HARM" ]
added, smiling, even should prove
to be spy
Again he sat for some moments pom
dertng. Then, rising, he rang a bell,
and, bidding an orderly call a Captain
Burton, he gave that off Ger orders to
have me taken to General Arnold.
General Arnold" cried I involun-
tarily
'.And why not, sir?" demanded he
sharply, turning suddenly upon me and
fixing his clear eyes on my face.
why not, indeed, except that it will
cause unnecessary delay"
THAT Is for me to decide,' he an
swered haught1ly, and turned away
without more ado.
"Ah, friend Ba1fort, I am glad to
see you again., cried Acton, as left
the house with the sergeant some mo-
ments later. But could say little to
the two who stood waiting for me, and
within short time I was riding north
between two other horsemen-a ser
geant and a trooper-havlng silently
shaken these two new friends by the
hand and nodded my farewell to
them Il.
Arnold's headquarters I knew to be
! in the house once the property Of a
| tory named Robinson, situated Just
| across the Hudson from West Point.
Fishkill lay beyond, knew not how
far. AT this point got my head to
thinking how 7 might rid myself of
| this escort and ride, Or walk, past the
traitors house to the commander-tn-
| chief. t
It was now come to A in the after
| noon of the 22d. The attack was for
the 2Sth. Here lay six days. 1t must
be done. Aye, and done quickly! And
then my thoughts turned to the two
escorting me. Neither had any bril-
liancy sitting upon his brow. The SER
geant, upon my right, carried the two
| papers. Even now could see them.
with Livingstone's dispatches, bullying
from his pocket. The men had pistols
in saddle holsters, and had none.
Then of a sudden came to me an idea,
| ! have to this day never discovered
how. it turned out 50 well: for, to tell
honest fact, It was as wild scheme
! as ever entered my poor head
| 1t was just after this that my two
| companions began to discover that
/ their prisoner was. or "a surety, no
horseman. He often grasped the sad
| die roughly; when the beast trotted a
| bit, the humping Of the captive was
disgraceful; in point Of fact, It APP
1 peared that this prisoner could not
have ridden q horse six times In his
life. + ls q 33
It tick1ed the soul OF the cavalry ser
geant beyond measure The tedious
ride contained possibilities Of aInuse-
ment.
.Ye amt got none too much OF the
horseman in yer bones have YEP
| laughed he presently There We go
| agin-ho! no" as the prisoners horse
SHE'D and bumped his own good steed.
| Eye must hold fr1ner by the knees.
Sol Sit so! straighter.''' and he leaned
over and Put his hand on the Others
shoulder.
@ ! will not deny that a certain CLEAN
appeared in the prisoners eye.
see! IT is simple, too, said the
latter. But the beast sided up to the
third horseman OF NJ the party and
pushed him to the side Of the road.
Have q care, here, my sportsman, q.
cried ne. laughing good turedl y.
! Now, by chance, the road became
hilly, and curved through the trees and