The wageworker. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1904-????, 1910-08-12

delay. He told me that the general
was busy. l inwardly cursed these
military nabobs who made every one
await their pleasure and were treated
by their subordinates as princes Of the
blood. If not sovereigns. 1t was not
till 3 in the afternoon that the major
told me to mount my horse and go
with him.
| We found the general about to ride
out on Il tour of inspection. and l was
invited to join him. | did so. and for
awhile he kept me beside him. asking
me what seemed to me lot of stupid
questions. l tried to tell him about
my cotton buying. but he wouldn't lis
ten to it. He seemed more interested
in learning where had been during
the day / had come into his lines and
the day before that and as far back as
l could remember. Then suddenly he
ceased to take any further interest in
me or my whereabouts and. calling his
chief of staff. waved me back with the
Others
Major Campbell rode with us-why
didn't know. for he was not of the
generals personal staff. Judging from
his interest in me. l fancied that he
might have been brought along for the
purpose of entertaining me. He kept
calling my attention to this feature of
the position and telling me things
about the number and disposition Of
the troops. They would not have in
terested me in the slightest had not his
statement of the different divisions and
brigades he declared were on the
ground appeared much overdrawn.
But why should he bother me at all
with these matters. and why should he
desire to make it appear to me that
the army was stronger than it really
was? l was a citizen with no military
knowledge whatever and was content
that these fiery soldiers should slaugh-
ter one another ad lib. provided could
make a fortune.
The general called Major Campbell
to him and said something in an I'M
dertone. Then the major dropped
back beside me. AS he left the gen.
eral the latter said loud enough to be
heard
THAT plan would never do in the
world. He who has eyes to see can
see for himself. I'll issue the order as
soon as get back to headquarters"
1 had no idea what this meant, nor
did take any interest in it. was
| getting Disguised ut being kept idle
! all this while by these autocratic mill
tary men. wanted to get at the
quartermaster. since the general took
no interest in my business affairs, and
secure transportation for the last lot
Of cotton ! had bought.
But terrible surprise was in store
for me-. We had no sooner got back
to camp than 1 was placed under ar
rest, with two soldiers standing over
me, ready to shoot me at the slightest
provocation. ! was not only indig-
nant-I was frightened. No officer
came near me. SO that was unable
to ask any one what it all meant. ex-
cept my guards. who told me that all
they knew about it was that they had
orders to shoot me If I made the
slightest move to escape.
The first information as to my real
position l received was when an off,
Ger approached me and began to read
from a paper he held in his hands. I
was too agitated ut first to listen to
or understand it. but presently gath
cred from it that was charged with
being spy and was to be tried for
that offense by drumhead court mar
tial that very evening.
Everything now gradually became
plain to me. On the supposition that
I had come into their lines for the
purpose Of gaining information the
provost marshal had reported the fact
to the general. leaving word that l
should not be permitted to go away.
The matter of my identity being sup
posititious. was not to know that
was suspected until they We're sure of
their case. This accounted for the in
tercst | had excited and for my tent
mate watching me while l took off my
clothes. He wished to know if l was
armed. Then while on the tour Of in
spection they had thought Of permit
ting me to go back to where I came
from to report a greater force than
they mustered. But the general had
quashed this plan. saying. He who
has eyes TO see can see for himself
The order he said he would issue was
for my trial. which also meant execu-
ton.
In the evening I was taken into q
large tent where a number of officers
sat around IL pine table lighted with
candles. One of them stated that
had been lurking about their camps
and had been arrested. But before be
ing placed in proper confinement l hat
taken to my heels. tearing up a paper
as l ran. l had escaped. but the bits
of paper collected had contained draw
ings of their position and memoranda
of the number of their troops.
|. An officer acted as my counsel, bu
as he knew no more about me than the
others his defense was worthless. I'm
fnrtunately l had recently sent 4 lO1