Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-06-24

showed symptoms of violent agitation. but
never peep at the presidents face, which
spectators farther. up the room later do
clared at this jCncture to have been apo
pie tic to dangerous degree.
las for the specifications to the second
charge. to which I have pleaded guilty, l
beg leave to say that after my long Illness.
complicated with accusations against my
character as a soldier at the front and as
a man at home. was confronted with the
possibility Of losing the most valuable tes-
tlmOny that could be offered in my defense.
/ saw then. but one way to reach the wit
ness and that was through the surgeon in
charge. whom / believed to be at q pri-
vate residence. half mile away. I saw
but one way OF reaching that surgeon. In
my dress as private soldier no sentry
would permit my passing. In an officer o
cap, cape and the darkness, no sentry, prob
ably. would prevent. I declined the COM
mission of an officer in the regular service
three months ago, because thought did
not know enough. / have learned so much
in the course Of three months in the ranks
that l accepted this. the only chance I
had of reaching the only friend 1 seemed
to have among those who could possibly
aid me. Under similar circumstances 1
should do it again. ana now I stand ready
to submit to any punishment this honorable
court may deem adequate. ask no mercy
whatsoever
The dead silence that for moment fol-
lowed the closing words of this most un-
conventional statement was broken by the
abrupt Idli Oh the newspaper ana the graf
ing voice of Lieut.. Col. Stout.
ITS tantamount to defance!' said he
The man ought to be put In ironsT'
Not-aZyet perhaps, Col. Stout, If you
will permit" blandly suggested Maj. Wal
lis, covering a painful situation, as the
judge advocate, with something like re-
proach in his manner. notified the prisoner
to withdraw and nodded to the sentry to
follow him.
Rex had been taken back to his room.
Thither Dallas had gone In pursuit, and all
about the shaded barrack walks men were
eagerly talking Of the really sensational
close to the brief. untrying trial. Many
declared that in ten minutes the court
would finish it's brief elaboration, would
confirm the plea Of the accused. find him
guilty, and in view Of his declaration that
he stood ready to repeat one Of his Offenses
and to defend the other. there was nothing
for it but give him as sentence the full ex-
tent Of the law.
But not until the drums were banging
Roast Beef of Old England did the mem
bers of the court come struggling forth,
and everybody who could read the signs
knew well there had been a battle royal
before they decided upon a sentence What
this might be no one but the reviewing au-
thority, the general commanding the dis
trict, might yet know.
Late that afternoon the young adjutant
tapped at the door of the little room where
Oned soldier arose and respectfully stood
at attention at sight of his visitor.
.Ingraham,' said he Il do not know
whether to be glad or sorry. 1 do not
know whether it is to be release punish
ment, but we are ordered to send you at
once to your troop, and DR.. Dallas has sent
his ambulance for the purpose.
They are quartered only two squares
away sir. l can easily walk" said Rex.
They WERE was the answer: but yes
terday they were sent to camp out across
the Chain bridge, where our people are for
tifying the heights. You have friends there,
1 understand, among the staff officers OF
that western brigade. Get ready quick as
you can
In wonderment, Rex obeyed. Two infan-
try soldiers jumped into the ambulance
after him, and they drove briskly away. A
corporal. seated beside the driver. answer
ed the challenge Of sentries and ptckets as
they went on up the wooded banks OF the
beautiful river, but 1t was dusk when they
reached the Chain bridge and dark when
they reached Gen. Smiths headquarters, a
mile beyond. The troop is half mile
farther out. Take the upper road at the
fork, the one toward Townsville" said a
voice at the gateway, and again they trun-
died on. Every now and then there would
be a shout of Haiti from the darkness In
and go boring through the darkness IN the
direction of the hail. say something inau-
dible except to the challenging sentry. then
scramble up again and order. Drive on"
In this way they plunged ahead into the
night, the camp fires thinning at the road
side. A sentry bade them go about quar-
ter of mile straight on and they'd see the
new white tents of the troop in field to
the right Of the road and barely five min
utes later Halt! Who goes thar? came a
challenge from a clump Of scrub oak, and
again the corporal sprang down and push
ed ahead. There was moments murmur-
ed conference: somebody said "All right.
Come on with your ambulance" The whip
cracked the mules started, the light vehicle
bounded over the ruts and once again REIN
ed up, this time in the thick timber and
the midst of a number of dark, shadowy
forms of armed men, one Of whom clam
bered on the rear step and drawled: Il
reckon I'll have to trouble you gentlemen
to step out moment. You may not belong
hyuh at all. but we're glad to see you all
the same. Were the 1st Virginia Cavalry