The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1905-06-09

I would blithely share the breakfast
with him. Whereat he laughed and
clipt my hand, and swore I was a
soldier n a brave gentleman to boot
So we sat and %hobnobbed at the ia
BILE, and Tybee lighted all the emnan
candle-ends and preached h wine
and pledged me in a bumper before we
fell to upon the cold haunch of veni-
SON.
My summons came when we had
shared the heel-tap Of the bottle. 1t
was my toast to this kind-hearted
what time the stair gave back the
tread Of marching men. Tybee crashed
his glass upon the floor and wrung
my hand across the table.
"Good-by, my captain; they have
come. God damn me, sir, I'll swear
they might do worse than let you go,
for all your spying. You've carried
off this matter with the lady as a gen
tleman should, and whilst 1 live she
shall not lack a friend. II o have
any word to leave for her"
I shook my head. NO." said I; then,
on second thought: And yet, there is
a word. You saw how I must see the
matter through to shield the lady?"
Surely; twas plain enough for any
one to see"
Then I shall die the easier If you
will undertake to make it plain to Rich
ard Jennifer. He must be made to
know that I supplanted him only in a
formal way, and that to ave the lady's
honor"
The lieutenant promised heartily.
and as he spoke the oaken bar was
lifted and my reprieve was at an End.
Having the thing to dispatch before
they broke their fast, my soldier hang
men marched me off without ado. The
house and all within it seemed yet
asleep, but of doors the legion van
guard was astir, and newly kindled
camp-fires smoked and blazed among
the trees, In shortest space we left
these signs of life behind, and I began
to think toward the end.
IT'S curious how sweet this troubled
life Of ours becomes when that day
wakes wherein it must be shufled Off!
AS a soldier must, 1 thought I had held
life lightly enough; a this 1 know,
I had often worn it upon my sleeve in
battle. But now, l was marching
forth to this cold-blooded end without
the battle chance to make it welcome,
all nature cried abound to me.
The dawn was not unlike that other
dawn a month past when I had ridden
down the river road with Jennifer; a
morning fair and fine, it's cup abrim
and running over with the wine CT life.
1 thought the cool, moist air had never
seemed so sweet n fragrant; that ma
lures garb had never seemed SO blithe.
There was no hint or sign of death in
all the wooded prospect. The birds
were singing %1oyously: the squirrels,
scarce alarmed enough to scamper out
Of sight, sat each upon his bough to
chatter at us as we passed. And once,
when we were filing through a bosky
dell with softest turf to mufle all our
treadtngs, a fox ran out and stood with
n uplifted foot, and was as still as
any stock or stone until he a the
scent Of US.
A mile beyond the outfelds of Apple
by Hundred We passed the legion pick
ct line, n I began to wonder why we
went so far; wondered and made bold
to ask the ensign in command, turning
it into a grim jest n saying l mis-
liked to come too weary to my end.
The ensign. a curst young popinjay,
as little officers cub are like to be,
answered flippantly that the colonel
had committed my sentence; that I was
to be shot like a soldier, and that far
enough afeld 81 the volieying would
not wake the house.
So we Jared on, and a hundred yards
beyond this point Of question and reply
came out into an open grove Of oaks;
then I knew where they had brought
me-and why. Twas the glade where
I had fought my losing battle with the
baronet. On tts farther confines two
horses nibbled rein's-length at the
grass. with Fa%lconnet's trooper serving
man to hold them, and, standing on
the very spot where he had thrust me
out, my enemy was waiting.
Twas all pre-arranged, for when
the ensign had saluted he marched his
men a little way apart and drew them
uR in line with muskets ported. But
at a sign from Falconnet two Of the
men broke ranks and came to strap me
helpless with their belts. I smiled at
that, and would not miss the chance
to jeer.
You are a sorry coward, Captain
Falconnet, as DULLES ever are" l said.
Would not your sword suffice against
a man with empty hands?"
He passed the taunt in silence, and
when h men had left me, said: II
have come to speed your parting, Cap
tain lreton. You are q thick-headed.
witless fool, as you have always been:
yet since you've blundered into serving
me I would not grudge the time to
come n thank YOU"
Il serve your I cried. God knows
I'd serve you up in collops at the table
Of your master, the devil, could I but
stand before you with a carving tool"
He laughed softly. Always vengeful
and vindictive, and always because you
must ever mess and NEEDLE with other
mems concerns" he retorted. and
yet, l say, you've served me-
Tell me how, in Gods name, that
may not die with that sin
Of"
"Oh. in many small ways, but chiefly
in this affair with the little lady Of
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