The National tribune., 1902-10-30

ders. He sent me to rush these prisoners
down To You, and order you to rush 'en
back to the brigade. And lie told me that
lie didn't want any back talk from you
1.-The Colonel? What colonei?''
'Thc Colonel in command over there"
.''But who is he? What's his nameT'
20. ] can't pretend 10 remember the
names of all the dinged COlonels that's
sloshing round, splitting through their
teeth, and giving orders. Much as 1 can
do to remember the Sergeants and Cor
porals, and fellers of real Importance. He's
one of them headquarter Colonies that's
always bessing everybody"
well, SO longs he amt my Colonel, he
can't boss me. Nobody but my own Col
onel can give me orders You can take
care of your own prisoners. am going
OH to find 81 Klegg."'l
well, you just amt and that's ali there
is of it, said Abe, stepping back across
the bridge. which the boys had been piling
with brush and lishtweod, behind the pri-
soners. II forgot to add that the Colonel
ordered me to burn this bridge. for fear
he might be fanked. You'll take care of
the prisoners, and get a receipt from the
Provo. Touch her off, boys"
A blaze flashed mp at once, and the
bridge became impossible.
Sim swore prOfusely.
Il know this il some blasted trick OF
got some reason for rot wanting us with
him. l know him of old. the carrot-thatcli-
ed thief. I'll settle with him for this, be-
fore the days over"
''Somc other day you will. not today.
You'll take care of them prisoners ROW.
or the Colonel will settle with you," Abe
shouted back, as he hurried off to rejOin
81.
A few miles farther on, when they seem
sniff ii.ian nj ha hnv ho N
wagons. for a more leisurely examination.
They found that they not only contained
the luxurious articles with which Mr..
Peter Dilber had adorned his house, but
the more important contents of his Office
as we'll
OF course. Monty Scruggs, with his law
yer instincts, was in among the papers ut
once and by the time the others had look
ed over and rearranged the loads. with
reference to getting them into camp with
ont attracting attention, lie had discover
ed fro mthe letters, papers, memoranda,
due-biils, notes and books that before the
war Mr. Peter Dilber had been a keen,
INSCRIPTIONS hustler about the Charles
ton docks. into about every shady thing
that promised to make a few dollars for
him. Nominally shipping agent and
broker, he had been owner of a sailors
drinking den, partner in a sailors board
ing house, crimper of unwilling crews for
brutal captains, accompiice in defraudinS
owners and insurance companies, fence for
stolen cargOes, etc, etc.
The war had brought him his great OPP
portunity, and lie had made the most of
it. He was shipping agent for the Con-
mOnd authorities had gotten one dollar s
benefit out of the cotton he had run
through the blockade, he had gotten sew
eral. He had made money both coming
and going, and where the profits of each
successful voyage had run up into the
hundreds of thousand of dollars, his share
was enormous. Men who were anxious to
get out Of the clutches of JEFF Davis &
Co., had paid him as high as $500 to
land them in Nassau. In carefully
sealed envelope, with cabalistic marks,
was a list of men he had brought in, who
had no apparent business in the Southern
Confederacy, but apparently a great deal
of real business in finding out for the
Washington officials just what was going
on there, and these had paid him even bet
ter than those he had sent out 1t was
clear that Mr.. Dilber had no scruples
about serving which ever side would pay
him best. The laws of the Southern Con-
federacy were very stringent about what
should be taken in and out of its ports,
and prescribed a certain portion of every
cargo for the public benefit, but seemingly
tneSe laws were only Tor MT. Dllbef
profit in evading them. He had bribed
right and left among the Confederate off,
cials, and seemed to have them all un-
der his thumb, for money loaned. valuable
presents given, great favOrs rendered, OF
lavish entertainment in the house the be-
lOngiDgs of which were in the wagons. 1t
had apparently been fitted up as lobbyist
headquarters as well as to crafty the
taste for display of q coarse, greedy rascal
"NO wonder he could get special
guard for his truck" remarked 81, as
Monty unfolded his discoveries from time
to time. "He seems to have had every
body around Charleston in cahOots with
him, in plundering the rebel Government,
and they were all in his grasp. He could
get about what he wanted"
my, wouldn't like to see smart
lawyer go into court against some of these
men, with these papers" said Monty, with
keen appreciation. Wouldn't he make
them sick? Mr.. Dilber was mighty smart
to keep all these documents, and have
them arranged in order for any time he
might need them. He hasn't lost or de-
strOyed u paper. He's n cunning villain,
if there ever was One."
30, what difference does it make" said
Shorty, with lofty scOrn of distinctions in
wickedness. '1They are all rebels and de-
serve hanging. They are all just as bad
in just as many ways as they know how
to be-"
"Say, thereIl be a lot Of those Charles