Gunnison news-champion and tribune., 1905-09-15
GEAl~rr-E XII

tered. each sssosasnS ouf a. Toe hop os
nis voise-
Harm cat to roll call
Howard insisted on my passsng on the
assEcozt- then ne led me u the room
beneath the i..uor chicxsnaa.ea- along
ehica the pri~oa.rs. hooking moro h.S-
gard for their sleep. were forming four
deep. The men we're cossatsa. and a.
deccption was easy wish this form Of
.-rgli CALI i.iatle Ross often had ten
\ ansec- more than there shsald be
or "A half-dozen N~nkees short. bat the
counting was always kept up sall the
rrapor Rgnsi-.sr was found
some time after this. al the prisoners
were driven every morning into the "
per fuf1nsc room aud counted out one
ata tluic, iuie she pPcr Chic ~amauga.
Al rhe soathern end. OF all the roouls
the-e we're sinks and spigoss. but clean
iueSs Was out of the question. The
raom opening from Carey street. and di-
rertly under ahc lower 1hickamaugs had
in ia a humber of old-fashioned kitchen
ranges and was known as s'tbe cook
room"
After we had wet our faces and hands
which thecbaplain had left among other
effects. we went down to the stoves. and
a. Howard had given nae ali his dread
the night before, we would have gone
hangry till noon. had it not been for tho
kindness Of friends who shared with Us
their lttle corn-bread and remaining
black beans.
About eleven O'Clock corn bread,
beans and enough tough beef 10 give a
few ounces to each man. were dis
tributed. during the nine weeks that
followed we did not receive any more
meat
still faithful To the promise I had
made Carrie Brent and her brother l
took the first opportunity could find TO
talk 10 Lieutenant Scott without being
overheard by the crowds about us. I
told him Franks story and asked for
bis.
Howard Scott had never before been
bitter or profane in my presence, 50
tnat ! was quite unprepared for the
vindictive wrath he showed ON this oc-
casion.
Had I captured Frank Brent. know
ing what l now do about him. I'D have
hung him to the first tree within reach,~
he hissed.
''Noa are Jealous Of him because 81
his devotion To Miss Vernon said;
but You have nothing to fear there
''No. Captain, am not Jealous. but
am righteously indignant. Frank Brent
captured me in Powells Valley, and at
the time he said. SO that he could not
have been guilty of John Harding's
murder. This world will not he big
enough to hold him and me once this
war is over, that is, if he is not hung in
the mean time, as he deserves to be, OF
if do not die in this hole"
On being pressed to give the reason for
his dislike. Howard continued:
-Nou know my cousin George Skill
man, who was with Brent? Well.
George was a fine fellow. even il he was
in such company. One day an old
scoundrel. named Mckee, who claimed
to be Union man-how l would like to
use q halter on that fellow-came to us
with letter purporting co have been
written by Cousin George, and saying
that he was lying helpless and wounded,
over in Powell's Valley. l showed the
letter to General Carter. and rs the
enemy was not believed to be within
fifty miles of the place. he told me to
take an ambulance, find my cousin. and
have him sent to our hospital at the Gap,
where he would be sure to get good care.
| started on, under the guidance Of old
Mckee. and. in reaching the valley
found myself in Frank Brent's hands
My cousin had been dead for a month,
but Brent forged the letter so as to trap
IB,.t q l.x.
Howard Scouts eyes flashed and he be-
gan biting his mustache.
felt too much Inundated to tell nv
friend of the part believed this same
old Mckee played in my capture: but
did explain my own situation, and as
scrtcd my belief that if Frank Brent
we're hanged ] should be treated in the
same way by the Confederate authori-
ties.
They've condemned Sawyer and
Flynn to death. but the two men are
here in Libby. Let them begin the re-
taliation, Captain Watts. and they'll
soon learn that that is a game two can
play at"
But what good will that do me after
l am hangcd?" | asked
Howard put both arms around nv
neck and whispered:
.'Don lose heart. old fellow: if they
don't hang You mighty soon III show
you the road out Of Libby and lead you
on the trail to freedom
The more ] tried to get the Lieuten-
ant to explain the more mysterious he
became. till at length. to avoid my i'm
portunities- he called a stranger. intro
duced me and turned away
This stranger was Colonel di Cesnola.
OF the Fourth New York Cavalry. a
handsome. dark-faced man. who was
distinguished from every other officer
in prison by the fact that he wore a
warm. blue cavalry tunic trimmed with
fur The Colonel was explaining to me
that this most desirable garment had
been received under flag of truce. when