Heppner gazette. [volume] (Heppner, Morrow County, Or.) 1892-1912, 1909-03-11


your duty as a soldier by asking yo
let him out. only ask you to let m
IN. | want to see him little while, an
hen | will come out"
"Oh Miss Ellen, l couldn't do that
/ d love to oblecge yo'--"
We'll. !et me in the room now Will
he isn't here. l want to write to him
III 90 back and get a paper
There's paper in yere," said The man
the prisoner axed fer some an he 90
some this mornin', so l was tole He's
been doin' powerful lot of writin' thi'
mornin'." The soldier unlocked the dool
and looked in. Il didn't git no orders
not to let nobody go in here. They tol'
me to watch an see that the man didn't
cit out. I'll let yo' in. but you'll hev tc
be out afore he gifts back"
"All right" said Ellen gratefully, step
ping within the room:
There was nothing in the room but a
cot table and chair. On the table
were writing materials.
III shet the door and lock it, said
| Jim. "an' when | see 'em comm III call
| for yo'" There was a window in the
corridor and he could see the wharf from
| it, Miss Ellen. | wouldn't do this fer
! anyone but yo'." he continued; "p'raps
l oughtn't do it fer yo'."
"Il never forget YOU said the girl.
When the door was closed she stepped
TO the table There were three sealed
letters upon il. One was directed to Com
modore Paulding. another to a lawyer i'll
New York. who had charge of Smith :
small earnings, and the third envelope bore
her own name. She instantly tore it open.
She read:
Ellen, am to be tried before q pack
court, determined on my death. this after
noon. They will hang me. | am certain
| don't suppose, when you betrayed me-.
that you anticipated this. | have no re
proaches for you. | suppose | wasn't
worth keeping faith with. You have de-
stroyed my faith in you you have done
more, you have destroyed my faith in
woman. | don't care what they do to me
now. | hate myself for it, yet if it is any
satisfaction to you to know, | love you
in spite of everything. | love you and
shall love you until | am dead. Don't re-
proach yourself. | forgive you"
That was all, Smith was not man to
indulge in herocs, but it was enough. The
girl kissed the paper and thrust it into
her bosom.
They shall not kill him." she mur
mured "If my plan doesn't serve, I'll
ride to General Bell, the commander of
the district, and tell him the truth. He
shall stop it. 1t would be murder"
She realized that she had no time to
e tbc+
Smith were always short and summary
Selling pen, she wrote:
"I am not guilty of the charge you
place against me. | did not betray you
Captain Haywood met me in the village
and my refusal to explain my presence
there excited his attention. He saw the
Greyhound and noticed how light she was
in the water. He left me and galoped
to the Ellen to save her. | got a horse
and did my best to follow. When the
horse gave out | ran on foot, but arrived
too late They shall not hang you Think
of me when you lie down. You will need
all your strength. Go to sleep early.
If the worst comes, shall appeal person
ally to the general commanding the dis
trict. Believe that l love you. My faith
er thinks l have betrayed him. He has
disowned me. | am yours more than ever
and will go to you when you claim me-
Miss Ellen had prepared for her visit.
After finishing her letter she ran to the
window and examined it. The bars were
set in mortar, but the mortar was old.
A man, especially one weakened by a
wound like that of Smith, could scarcely
drag them from their fastenings, but with
the aid of an implement it would be an
easy matter. She had brought that i'm
plement with her. Under her clothing,
tied around her waist, she had secured
short iron bar which she had stolen
from the gun room, which, together with
a loaded revolver, she slipped beneath the
blanket that covered his cot. She might
have been more explicit in her directions,
but she trusted that his mother wit would
tell him what to do, and if the letter fell
into some other hands than his, he still
might find the weapons. AS soon as he
Law down on the cot he would know. She
kissed the pillow on which his head had
rested, and then, with long look around
the room, she tapped on the door.
II was gittin' moughty anxious like,
Miss Ellen" said jim, opening the door.
"Here is a letter." said Ellen. II want
you to read it so that you may know there
is nothing wrong about it."
"Oh, Miss, | don't want to read yo'
letter.
"But you must = said the girl, rapidly
reading the brief sentences to him.
"There," she said, ''I'll trust you still
further. Instead of leaving it on the
table, want you to give it to him. Don't
forget 1t. II they have condemned him to
death, letter like this will help him."
"'Pears like a letter like that'n would
make most men willin' to die," said jim
Jim, I'll never forget you !" said Ellen
gratefully, watching the soldier slip the
letter In his tunic.
II wisht / could do more, Miss, than
Jest givin' letter."
Ellen was about to say That's
enough" but checked herself in time.
''That's great DEAL" she said, "and l
appreciate It,"
She took his hard, rough hand In both
her own, and before he knew what she
was about raised it to her lips
"Good-byr she murmured, and was
gone.
"Well," said Jim. looking at his rough,
grimy, soiled hand, ito think that Miss
Ellen's lips teched that old paw of mine"
Hs lifted the hairy member, and i,st