The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1905-11-09

De Peyster begged hard for leave to
bury the brave Ferguson on the spot
where he fell, but twas impossible;
and now, I am told, the stout old
Scotsman lies side by side with u
Major Will Chronicle, of Mecklenburg,
who fell just before the ending of the
BATTLE.
The dead buried and the wounded
cared for in some rough and ready fash
ion, preparations were made in all
haste for a speedy withdrawal from
the nelshborhood of the battlefield. Ru-
NOR had it that Tarleton, with his In
vincible legion, was within a few hours
march; and the mountain men, sodden
weary with the tolls of the flying ad-
vance and the hard-fought conflict.
were in no fettle to ope with a fresh
foe.
AS yet I had not made myself known
to the patriot commanders, having my
hands and heart full with the care OF
poor Tybee, who was g~rtevously hurt,
and being q measur Indifferent to what
should befall me.
! l was dragged before the committee Of
c~oionels and put to the question.
Your uniform is u strange one to
us said Isaac Shelby, looking me UP
me down with that heavy-lidded right
eye of his. Explain your rank and
standing, it you please.
1 told my story simply, and, as /
thought, effectively; and had only
black looks for my pains.
Iii :. strange tale, surely, sir-too
strange TO be b~elicvable," quoth Shell
by. 'You are a traitor, Captain Ireton
OF the kind W. not cumber ourselves
with on q march,
WHO says that word of me-" 1
demanded, caring not much for that to
,-l,;,l IT. +J,1, ~1;~+eI l,,+ 30 ~,D41,f, n
for my good name.
Shelby turned and beckoned to a man
in the group behind lin. stand out,
John Whittlesey,' he directed; and I
found myself face to face with that
riaeman of Colonel Davies party who
had been SO fierce to hang me at the
fordin2 of the Catawba.
This man gave his testimony briefly,
telling but the bare ruth. A week
earlier I had passed in Davies camp
for a true-blue patriot, this though I
was wearing a ragged British uni
form at the moment. AS for
the witness himself, he had mis-
doubted me all along, but the colonel
had trusted me n had sent me on
some secret mission, the inwardness Of
which he, John Whittlesey, had been
that he had tried to worm it out of me
before parting company with me on
the road to Charlotte.
I looked from one to another of my
judges.
IF this be all, gentlemen, the man
does but confirm my story" I said.
TT is not ALL" said Shelby. Mr..
Pengarvin, stand forth"
There was another stir in the back
grounding group and the pettifogger
edged his way into the circle, keeping
we'll out Of hand-reach of me. How he
made shift to escape from Ferguson's
men, change sides, and to turn up thus
serenely in the ranks of the over-moun-
tain men, / know not to this day, nor
ever snail know.
Tell these gentlemen what you have
told me- said Shelby, briefly; and the
factor, cool and collected now, re-
hearsed the undeniable facts: how in
Charlotte I had figured as a member of
Lord CORVALLIS family; how I carried
my ~malignancy to the patriot cause to
the length Of throwing a stanch friend
to the commonwealth, towlt, one Owen
Pengarvin. into the common jail; how
as Lord CORVALLIS trusted aide-de-
camp, [ had been sent with an express
to Major Ferguson. Also, he suggested
that if I should be searched some proof
of my duplicity might be found on me.
At this William Campbell nodded to
two of his Virginians, and was
searched forthwith, and that none too
gently. In the breast pocket of my
hussar they found hat accursed dupli-
cate dispatch; the one l had aiken
from Tybee II which had so nearly
proved my undoing in the interview
with Major Ferguson.
Isaac Shelby opened and read the
accusing letter and passed it around
among his colleagues.
Il shall not ask why this was unde-
livered, sir he said to me, sternly.
"nTiS enough that it was found upon
your person, and it sufficiently proves
the truth of this g~entleman's accusa-
ton. Have You aught further to say,
Captain Ireton?-aught that may ex-
cuse us for not leaving you behind in a
halter?"
Do % wonder, my dears, that / lost
my head when / saw how completely
the tolls of this little black-clothed
fcnd had closed 0 me- Twice,
/ nay, thrice l tried to speak calmly as
the crisis demanded. Then mad rage
ran away With me, and l burst out in
yelling curses so hot they would surely
dry the ink in the pen We're l to seek
to set them down here.
Twas q silly thing to do, you will
say, and much beneath the dignity of
u grown mar who cared not a bodle for
his life, ard not greatly for the man
ner of its losing. I grant you this; and
yet it was that same bull-bellow OF
soldier profanity that saved my life.
Whilst l was in the storm of it, ours
ing the iawyer by every shouted cpl
thet l could lay tongue to, a miracle
was wrought and Richard Jennifer and
Ephraim Yeates pushed their way
through the notwithstanding ring of on
lockers; the latter to range himself be-
side me With his brown-barreled rifle in
the hollow OF his arm. and my dear lad
to fling himse,f upon me in a bears
hug OF joyous recognition and greet
ing.
Continued Next Weekly