Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-02-03
The Argus Daily Short Story
The Wise Judge-By John Joyce.
Copyrighted. 1910. by Associated Literary Press

that region at all, ard 1 have reports
that the enemy is concentrating there
Can't you go at onccT'
Yes. general" / said. "ShalI I re-
port your orders to my captain?'
You We're absent without leave on
this little expedition. weren't you?"
Yes, general"
well. you can continue absent with
out leave. If you report to your cap
tain the men will know that some
thing is up in your case and talk it
over. I don't like any talk at all about
secret service work Besides. If you
do well 1 shall make a regular secret
service man of you. attaching you to
these headquarters"
Wont my comrades think 1 have
deserted? I've always been in trou-
bic with my caiptain-my own fault.
Of course, because, being of a rowing
disposition. I always objected to regu-
lar duties''
That's just what wish them to
think of you. 1t will keep them from
thinking anything else"
But. general, if l should come back
into our lines and not find you to
Vouch for me-
'I1l fix that"
He sat at a table and scratched Off
an order attaching me to his headquar-
tiers and handed it to me.
There" he said. "do what you Ike
with that But don't get caught with
it on you in the enemy's lines or it will
hang you"
l took the paper. put it in the lining
of my hat and, with a godspeed from
my commander, rode away into the
darkness.
The first thing for me TO do was to
get citizens clothes. 1 could do this
and see my girl again at the same
time. So I rode straight to the house
where she lived with her mother.
widow, and a family Of younger chill
dren. l awakened the household and
told the girl that I wanted the cloth
ing l had found upstairs and which
she had told me belonged to Il brother
Of her mothers who lived with them
but who was now in General Jackson's
army. Both mother and daughter were
rebels and wouldn't have given me the
clothes had ! not told them a cock and
bull story about Confederates being
after me. AS soon as was rigSed out
rs Virginia farmer. leaving my horse
in their barn and my uniform in the
garnet Of the house. l marched away
on foot in 4 sOuthwesteriy direction to-
ward the region | was to look into.
l had no sooner reached it than
saw Indications of an important move
on the part of the Confederates. The
My object was to return at once and
report the fact to the general. but
there were several things about me to
lead them to suspect me. I couldn't
talk like a sDutherner. didn't look or
act like a GCut herner and told contra
dictOry stories about my antecedents
Seeing that they were uncertain about
me, | told them that what | most
wished for was to fight for Dixie. SO
they enlisted me. and l thought | was
all right. I was so fearful of being
accused of desertion on my return that
l kept the generals order concealed
under the thin leather strip inside and
over the sole of my boot. but as soon
as was suspected I hid ii under Il
stone. marking the spot carefully.
IcuDu ull>e tllatCHib1 Win the
very force | had come to spy upon
against the very general who had sent
me. There was a series OF battles.
with much slaughter on both sides
watched for a favorable opportunity
to regain my own comrades. but none
occurred. The truth is my captain
was watching me. At last the whole
brigade TO which | belonged was sur
rounded and captured.
realized that was in precarious
situation. All depended upon my COM
municating with the general who had
sent me on my mission. What was
my horror to learn that he had been
killed in one of the recent battles.
All now depended on my not being
recognized. but this hope failed ME.
for an enlisted man who knew me