Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1905-02-10

Mention has been made of DR.. Chill
toms sister, with whom they were
again dwelling after their return from
the summer seashore Being only
moderately weli-to-do, and besieged
with applications, she had yielded to
pressure and let two of her rooms to
officers sojourning in the city. Then
one of these. ordered west, begged
leave to present successor, major
Of a new regiment who being a
smart" lawyer, had been assigned to
duty as judge advocate of court
for the trial of officers OF rank in the
volunteers. When the squire wrote
that McKinnon had been appointed
major of a newly raised regiment and
ordered with it to Annapolis, Fred
Benton felt, so great was his antipa-
thy. a vague sensation of annoyance
and chagrin. Three weeks later when
Col. Golf, of the tenth. came down
to pay the Iron Brigade a two-days'
visit, the young stan officer was con-
founded to hear that Mai McKinnon
had just found domicile under the same
roof that shielded Dr. Chiffon and the
lady of his love. 1t meant mischief
and Benton knew it.
One bleak December morning Ben
ton had ridden with his general down
the river bank on the Stafford side
and sat watching the work of the
engineers. The pontoon wagons were
being run to the front, and many an
officer and man looked at the heavy
ungainly boats and the long loads of
balk and chess, then studied the dis
tant line of heights across the stream,
saying little but thinking much Who
ever sought to storm that crest had a
precious job on hand, was an expurga-
ton of the way in which the average
veteran expressed his individual views,
And while seated in saddle, shivering
in the wind blowing from the distant
Chesapeake, and wishing the chief
would quit his comments on the orders
of the corps commander and trot home
to dinner, Benton caught sight of a
little column of cavalry riding defect
edly in from the far left flank Horses
jaded, men disguised, and three or
four prisoners in their wake looked
worst Of all. Where dye s'pose those
dam-fools have come from?" asked
the general, cheerfully. Captain" he
u,
what you got there?"
The officer touched his cap, turned
out of column, so as not to halt the
methodical march, rode up toward the
general and said: prisoners, sir, taken
by one of our scouting parties a few
miles down, and sent in by us, for most
of these horses with me have to be
shod."
By this time the greater part of the
troop, in their ugly light blue over
coats, had plodded by, and the squad
of prisoners came footing it YEARLY
after. Foremost of these a tall, thin
faced, ungainly specimen, dressed in
one of those self-same cavalry over
coats. glanced curiously at the general
from under his broad-brimmed SLOUGH
hat; threw look over the blue-nosed,
watery-eyed pair of orderlies at his
back, and then on Benton and a broth
er aide, sitting few yards aside; then
instantly a flash of recognition shot
over his face, and he called aloud:
''There, captain. There's a gentle
man who will vouch for what 1 say.
Ask Capt. Benton"
1t was our friend Jennings, he of the
stone house and the Warrenton pike,
and Jennings would not be denied
He plunged into voluble story to the
listening chief, despite the efforts of an
Irish trooper to prod him forward.
'D'you know him?" asked the gen.
eral. shortly, as. he turned to Benton
He says you do"
81 saw him once or twice SIR was
the guarded answer. q do not know
him further than that he held Gen. Nc
DOwel's pass and went in and out of
our lines at will last summer"
"And I'm just as loyal as 1 was
then" protested Jennings, ";only they
caught me down here trying to help
some folks of mine that were sick and
nigh starving
But the general shut him off impa-
tiently. He was giving ear to the
words of the captain, who had ridden
closer.
Col. Hammond ordered his ar
rest, sir, because of papers in his pos
| session, showing he was mixed up in
the aiding of Confederates-officer
across the Potomac. They got one of
'em too weak to ride. He's in that am
bulance yonder," and the dragon
pointed to the yellow-painted vehicle
coming bouncing among the ruts and
ridges of the frozen roadway. A faint
moan issued from beneath the canvas
cover as the driver refined up, and Ben
ton. moved by compassion, urged his
horse past the silent, passive column
and peered in through the opening at
the back. The next instant he was out
| OF saddle, and the rear spring bent I'M
| der his weight as he leaped upon the
| steps. Then they heard his voice in
| tones of mingled grief Joy and amaze: