The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-06-22
A Stirring Story of Love and Ad>
 venture in Revolutionary Days.
None But the Brave


tho le. when. as man to man. I have no retaliation. You are. therefore. a weak man and coward. You say this instead of putting to paper my examination, for your superior and better to read and judge. 'Tis the the method of bad off cer. You see, 'tis simple enough That Is A brave man" came over the room in the deep tones I had heard con versing but now with Lieut.. Acton. He speaks the truth"
 Why, you impudcnt scoundrel." cried the infurated officer. Do you know whom you address?" He was too aston ished to do more than stare at me in amazement But 1 was bent on giving vent to the hours of pent-up misery I had just passed through, and 1t did my soul good to say so.
 Tn my colony, when there comes a prisoner and shows by his manner that he has aught of importance to say, he Is taken to the commanding officer. Evil dently the military discipline of Yer plancks Is of a different sort"
 Sergeant" roared the man. Sergeant! Here, take this--this-" He fell over him self in his endeavour to speak. Take this-man away, and put him under guardl"
 At that two men stepped forward, and the unknown friend of Acton said in cold voice thnt seemed to command ir- mediate attentions:
 Captain, with your permission. would speak word concerning this man"
 And what business ds 1t of yours?" de- mandad his superior. You will retire, sir at onoel'
 The slightest trace of a frown spread , ever his face, and the man turned even a little winter, while his voice, calm as before, seemed to cue the air in the room with decisive tone
 This is the case of the examination of a prisoner taken at the picket line. He has the right of witness and counsel. 1 act as both with my friend, Lieut. Acton" l turned to him in wonder; but he fix ed his cold eyes on the examining officer and kept them there. Every one instinct lively drew up by the desk, with that silent mysterious movement that makes no sound but means so much at times the movement that precedes some com ing event.
 "Lieut. Curtis, you will understand that you do not conduct this examina- tionl" said the officer. trying to con- trol himself but with his voice rising as he proceeded. "I do, however; and, by God, sir, I'll continue to do so! Do you retire at once. or I will place you under arrest"
 "Oaths have no place in an examina- tlOn SIT. llS, tneTeIOTe' III Ddu taStci anu in contradiction to martial law"
 Sergeant" cried the examining off cer, with blazing eyes and flushed checks.
 "I appear for this prisoner" inter rupted the imperturbable man, now the only one In the room who appeared per- fectly composed and calm.
 Appear for the devil in hell, If you like but you appear for no one herer'
 And I tell you that no law in this
 
 to tell a prisoner he is liar"
 Sergeant, arrest Lieut. Curtis. turn ing to the silent, but interested specta- tors. ''is this a court or is 1t perchance collection of the benighted insane?' and a cold smile drew back the corners of his mouth. Who or what was this remarkable person? He was the picture of a calm, dignified gentleman; and yet he defied military discipline, no matter how basely applied, without the slightest apparent concern. and all on account of man whom he saw now for the first time.
 Sergeant, arrest that man" sounded through the room again. Everyone wait ed, and at last the Sergeant approached Lieut.. Curtis and saluted him apologeti- cally.
 There was the space of an instant, when the air was charged with porten- tous possibilities and then an orderly entered and handed a note to the dazed examiner, which he, after reading, with a reckoning face threw down on his desk: then. turning to the Sergeant, he cried out:
 Take the prisoner to headquarters! And mark you, MT. Merton Balfort, If you should turn out to be an officer of any-any, mind ye-any army of the earth I'll have ye out, sir, by God, will" and down came his fist. spilling the sand from the box by his inkstand and sounding through the room.
 Something had happened, surely. for 1 was herewith led away out through the camp musing on the extraordinary char acter of this military examination, but more especially on the remarkable man who had defied it. Here and there. as l walked along. tood farmhouses and barns and any sort of building turned into officers quarters, or stabling room for horses. and rows of huts and tents for the infantry and cavalry Of Col. Liv- ings; ones command.
 1t was. to my mind as clearly camp good to look upon. as ] had seen; but In reality there was little to grow gay over about 1t. Men moved here and there In ragged clothes, that bore but pitiabe resemblance to uniforms and wherever I got a glimpse into hut or ient only the bare necessities of life
 
 tween two soldiers, there came to men Acton and hls friend, who, whether &C., cording to the code of discipline or not ! cannot tell, walked by my side
 The ;oVial Acton thanked nc In his own way for the little service chance had enabled me to do him, and pre- scented me to his friend. Robert Curtis. From the time l had heard the mans voice he drew me 10 him. and now that I saw his serious face. marhed by the lines of some sorrow or care, l 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 impart in unaffected ways. There was littls said. but I knew that here were two men such as 1 had not yet met in my short life.
 So we came to the country mansion that Livingstone used as his head quarters, and I was ushered into the library. or office where I stood before the commander of the Verplancks de- taohment of Washingtons thin line that ran from Philadelphia, by way of Nor ristown and West Point into New Eng land. 1t was a detachment ever ready for a movement of Clinton's, ever watch ing; but to a close observer almost hope lessly 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." answered.
 How so am reading here"