The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1905-07-28

sion, Lut do not recognize Ii. No reb-
cl dog has authority to issue commits
sions. You know your fate. senor?"
Il believe YOU sent me word only
month Ggo that YOU would shoot me
without trial If l had the misfortune
to be captured"
"And rest assured shall do so. No;
/ will not shoot you; 1 will hang you.
You are a spy, and you shall die by
the rope"
"On what day and hour?' was the
calm inquiry.
days and hours!' thundcred the
colonel as he showed his teeth at his
prisoner. Il have no days and hours
for the hanging of such as you 1
string Them UP at my own convenience.
At 10 oclo clS-an hour and Il half from
now-you shall dance on nothingv'
Very well, colonel" said Tom as he
salutcd and fell back and was marched
away by his guard.
lie Is brave man." mused the
colonel later on, "but he defied me-
Yes, / will hang him, and l will make
him afraid before he Is swung off,
When the dogs Of renegaGes hear how
lie died, begging for his life 1t will be
Il lesson to be needed. He Is hungry
and thirsty, but he shall neither eat
nor drink before the execution"
The force under the colonel comprised
about 400 men. Orders were sent out
to parade. all but the sentinels, under
arms at 1915. and corporal was de-
tailed to see to the erection Of n gal
lows. His work was not arduous or
lengthy. A small tree trunk was
passed from the crotch Of one tree to
another and noosel rope tied to it's
center. The prisoner would be placed
on pork Darrel-an American pork
barrel for the grim irony-and it would
be kicked from under him.
AT the hour named by the colonel
tile troops were under arms and form
ell three sided square around the gall
lows. Then the prisoner was brought
out His elbows were tied behind him,
and in his contempt for the Cubans
who had sold their officer the colonel
ordered the two men to march with
the condemned man and act as his cX-
ecutioners. They had sold man for
money, but when it came to playing
the part of hangmcn they rebeiled.
They hung back, but the colonel or
dered the lash applied
When the prisoner was led under the
noosed rope the colonel faced him and
made him Il butt of ridicule. He point
cd at his rags, Mt his starved looks, Mt
his unkempt appearance and the SOL
Giers in line laughed. From ridicule
he turned to sarcasm and thence to
abuse and revilement, anA during the
long half hour the prisoner faced him
calmly without q word. There were
| not ten men in the lines who did not
feel secret admiration for him. The
colonel had failed to shake his nerve,
and, chagrined and angered, he order
cd one Of the deserters to place the
( barrel and the other to assist the pris-
oner to mount.
Then it was that one Of the betray-
crs felt the stings of conscience. He
was the one who was placing the bar
rel lie knew what lie was going to
do would bring him perhaps more
cruel death than That designed for his
captain, but lie did not hesitate. Like
flash lie whipped out knife and cut
the prisoners bonds, and, though TAX
Ell by surprise, Captain Tom bounded
away toward the forest.
In his excitement the colonel called
upon the lines to fire and ran after
the fleeing man. A volley was let go,
and when the smoke cleared away the
colonel lay dead on the ground, the
victim Of twenty bullets.
For moment every soldier seemed
dumb and without power to move.
Then there were shouts and yells, and
the lines broke and became a mob.
When order was restored the rene
gades were no longer In sight. The
jungle sheltered them and the captain
they had betrayed.
Poor devils" the released man said.
II don't blame you much. It's hard
road to liberty, and n man has to be
something more than fishworm to
win It,"
m soA