The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1906-01-19

afraid of 1t. His hand trembled as he
led me on.
Take off the blindfold," said that
voice again.
AS it fell away, found myself in a
large and beautiful room. My eyes
were dazzled by the light of many
candles, and for a little l had TO close
them. | stood before two men. One
sat facing me at black table of carved
oak-a man of middle age, in the uni
form of a British general. Stout and
handsome, with brown eyes, dark hair
and mustache now half white, and
nose aquiline by the least turn, he inn
pressed me as have few men that
ever crossed my path. A young man
sat lounging easily in big chair be-
side him, his legs crossed, his delicate
fingers teasing a thin mustache. | no.
ticed that his hands were slim and
hairy. He glanced up at me as soon
as | could bear the light. Then he
sat looking idly at the carpet.
The silence of the room was broken
only by the scratch of a quill in the
hand of the general. l glanced about
me- On the wall was large painting
that held my eye. | saw presently
it was that of the officer l had fought
in the woods, the one who fell before
me- I turned my head; the young man
was looking up at me. A fine set
of teeth showed between them.
do you know him?" he asked cool
~.
ct have not the honor" was my re-
ply.
"What is your name?" the general
demanded in the deep tone l had
heard before.
Pardon me-" said the young man,
quietly, as if he were now weary of
the matter, 81 do not think it neces-
sary"
There was a bit of silence. The
general looked thoughtfully at the
young man.
eff your lordship will let me" he
went on.
''My dear Sir" the other interrupted,
in the same weary and lethargic man
ner, 81 can get more reliable knowledge
from other sources. Let the fellow go
back"
''Ehat will do said the general to
the gaurd, who then covered my eyes
and led me back to prison.
Lying there in the dark, told D'ri
all I knew of my mysterious journey.
My account of the young man reused
him to the soul.
"Wha' kind NV a nose he'd he?" he
inquired.
Roman" I said.
"Bent in at the pint a leetle?"
Eyes"
"And black hair shingled short?"
Eyes"
"An' tall an kind NV a nasty,
snookin, mis'able-lookin' cuss?"
"Just about the look of him, II said.
"Judas Priest! He s one o. them
sneks ct tux me when you was fightin
t. other Teller over there n the woods.
Looks rather bad for us" l re-
marked.
Does hev a ruther squeaky LUX tew
it." said he. "All we got t dew is t
keep breathin' jest as nat'ral n easy
es we can be till we fergit how. May
fool EN- fust they know"
I had a high notion, those days, Of
the duty of a soldier My father had
always told me there was no greater
glory for anybody than that Of brave
death. Somehow the feeling got to be
part of me. While | had little fear Of
death, l dreaded to be shot like a
felon. But | should be dying for my
country, and that feeling seemed 10
light the shadows. When | fell asleep
after much worry, it was to dream OF
my three eountrymen who had fallen
to their faces there by the corn.
awoke to find the guard in our cell
and D'ri and he whispering together.
He had come with our breakfast
"All | want" D'ri was saying, "is q
piece of iron, with a sharp end half
es long es yer arm"
He made no answer, that big, sullen
bulldog man who brought our food to
us. When he had gone, D'ri lay over
and began laughing under his BREATH
His thinker s goin' LUX sawmill, "
he whispered. would MT wonder ei
it KEEP i'm awake nights. He was ask
in bout tibet air tew thousand dol
lars. Eff they IL let us alone fer three
days, we III be out o. here. Now, you
mark my word"
"How?" I inquired.
Jest leetle job o. slidin' downhill,"
he said. There's big drain-pipe goes
under this cell-t' the river, probly
He says it s bigger n a barrel"
We saved our candle that day. and
walked up and down, from wall tc
wall, for exercise. Our hopes were high
when we heard footsteps, but they fell
suddenly, for, as we listened, we could
hear the tramp Of squad of men. They
came to our cell, and took us upstairs
blind-folded as before, to bathroom
where the uniforms, discarded the day
of our capture, were waiting for us
newly pressed. Our bath over, they di.
rected us to put them on. They gave
us new hats, for our own had been losI
the night of the wreck, covered oul
eyes, and led us through many doors
and alleys into the open air. 1t was
dark, | knew. for as we entered a car.
riage | could dimly see the glow of 9