The Charles Mix new era. (Wagner, Charles Mix County, S.D.) 1???-1911, 1907-11-15
XIII.

Cl1AE lEu MIL
while his comrades we're sleeping In
Derfecf forgeffnlness OF their hardships
md dangers, tn slunibers of Dunwoodie
were broken and unauies- After spending
nigif Of restiessness. hs arose, unre-
eseShAxd. and, without axaking any Of this
group around him, he wandered Into thu
| open air In search 0f relief. The soft
rays ~ the moon were just passing away
ID the more distinct light Of the morn
Ing. He stroiied toward the scene Of
the gkinn~rx' punishment, missing upC
this ernbnYrm ssns~nts OF hfs situation, and
uncertain how be should reconcile his
Isense Of duty with his love. In this dis
ltuY.sed s.nts 81 mind. the major was stop.
ped In bis walk by arriving At the base
~ tho~e rocks which hAd protected the
SINNERS In their flight. He was about
- turn and retrare his path 70 his Guar
tDrs. when be was startled BY . yoice
!tiddinx him
ISLAND or die"
Dunwoodle Turned II amaxem~nt, and
fheheld the figure OF q man placed At .
tittie distance shove him on a shelving
tyOcA, with d mnskst leveilsd at himself.
u second look was necessary before he
discovered, tn his astonishment. that the
rsddlsr stood before him. Comprehend
iag the danger Of his situation, the youth
cried firmly
III I an to BE- murdered. Ar~i viii
mever becOEnc yosr prisoner
mo. Major Dunwoodie,'. said Birch,
l~wsring his mnsket. "t n neither my In
tsution 10 capture nor 10 slAy."
AxE1yl.Ak S1mm asxsst1 srtt baWa Vuvuf0Pt~
eus beingf" said Dunwoodie.
"Your good opinion" answered the
peddler. with emotion II would wish all
good nncn 10 Judge me with lenity."
ITO you 1t must be indifferent
may b. the judgment Of men; for You
seem to be beyond the reach Of their
sentence"
s'G0d spares the lives OF his servants 10
Ats " time said the peddler, solemn
" = few hours ago ! was your pris-
cner. anil threatened with the ~gallows;
now you are mine; but. Major Dun
woodie, you are free. There are men
abroad who would treat you less kindly.
OF what service would that sword be to
you against my weapon and q steady
hand? Take the advice OF a who has
never harmed you, and who never will.
do not trust yourself In the skirts OF any
wood, unless In company and mounted"
And hare you comrades. who have as
| sisted you TO cscapeT
"No--no, l am alone tr~uly-none know
~ but my God and Him"
And whoi" asked the MAJOR with an
Interest he could not control.
"None,. continued the peddier, rccov-
| ering hj~ ccmposure. "lsut such Is not
Your case, Major Dunwood!c: you are
young and happy. there are those that
are dear 10 sou, and such are not far
AwMy--danaer In near them you love most
danger within and without: double
Yomr watchfulness strengthen yonr pa
trois-And he silent. With your opinion
d M. should | tell you more, yon would
suspect nm ambush. But remember and
guard them you love best"
The pe1dlcr discharged the musket in
the air, and threw II at the feet of his
astonished auditor. When surprise and
the smoke allowed Dunwoodie to look
again on the rock where he had stood, the
0pot was vacant.
The youth was aroused from the stu
rer created by this strange scene by the
trampling OF horses. A patrol was drawn
70 the spot by the report Of tho musket.
without entering into any explanation,
the major returned quickly to his quar-
tcrs. whore be found the whole squadron
under arms. The officer whose duty II
was 10 superintend such matters. had
directed a party to lower the sign Of the
Hotel Flanagan. and the post was already
arranged for the execution OF the spy. On
hearing from the me jor thar the mnsket
was discharged by himself and wa prob
ably one OF those dropped By the Skin
nerA his officers suggested the propricty
e s9ecusing their prisoner before they
UascAeA. Unablc to believe that all he
M cen WAS mot \ dream. Dunwoodie
Msnt h tbs place which was supposed to
esataiA the peddler.
-Wsll, sir." said the major to the sen
tlnsa who guarded the door. II trust you
have your prisoner In safety"
He III yet asleep" replied The man.
sAnl he makes such . noise. l could hard
y hear the baglcs sound the alarm"
sOpen the door and bring him forth"
The srder was obeyed but to the utter
onasement Of the honest veteran be found
~ room In no little disoricr--the coat
ef tbs pcddler. whore his body ought TO
bAvo been. and part CT the wardrobe OF
Betty scattered In disorder on the door.
TAs w~asherwomAn herself occupied the
Milet. In profound mental oblivion. The
noise q their entrance and the exclAma-
tions q the party awake the woman.
rs Il the breakfast that's wanting r.
| aid Betty. rubbing her eyes; hut pa
ttence ! little. darlinss. and yen - SIGH
, nv ~ never was"
~Fy!- echoed the scrysant: swell
have you roasted, Jexebcl lyon have
helped that peddler 70 escape"
"Jesebel back axin In u teeth Mister
0Arseant I" cried Betty; what have I to
~ with pidlsrs, Or escapesv"
.Silence I" said Dunwoodie. 'sThis
must BE- inquired into closely. gentlemen /:
there II no outlet but the door, and he
could not pass, unless the sentinel con-
nived n his csca pc. or was asleep on bis
post. Call up the guard
A. these men were not paraded, curl
city had already drawn them 10 the
place. and they one and all denied that
any person had passed ont. The sentinel
acknowledged that Betty had gone by
A