Golden Valley chronicle. (Beach, Billings County, N.D.) 1905-1916, 1910-07-22

Roundheads have taken q dozen pris-
oners. They are intending to shoot a
portion OF them IN reprisal for the dis
patching OF their wounded comrades"
"Fathec." said Mary in an agony.
did you see the prisouers?"
Il did. my darling"
WAS there one among them q very
young man. straight. tall and slender?"
II saw such one. the only youth
amsng them. Mary. what means this
agitation? What is this boy to you?
Have you seen him before?"
But Mary had no voice to reply.
Thinking her Ill. her father laid her on
lounge and went for restorative.
Mary lay for awhile In what those
about her considered stupor. It was
no stupor; she was keenly alive. But
1t suited her purpose to avoid being
questioned. The day faded, and when
the candles were lighted she arose
from her couch and. telling her parents
that she had recovered, with a firm
step went upstairs to her chamber.
At midnight. when all were asleep.
Mary went to the room of her brother
and without awakening him took a
suit Of his clothes from a closet. Half
an hour later. dressed as youth. her
hair curled to fall over a broad lace
collar and with plumed hat, she left
the house and under the starlight
FASTENED down the road. Near day.
light she reached the camp of the par
Lament troop and, crawling inside the
lines. lay herself down near the pris.
oners.
When the sun came up the captain
Of the guard counted the group Of
Cavaliers who had been intrusted to
his care the evening before aud was
surprised to find one more than should
be. He reported the circumstance to
the commander Of the force, who
merely snapped back:
well. make 1t five in thirteen"
AS soon as the command had break
tasted the prisoners were marched out
into field near by. Thirteen bits of
paper were put in helmet. seven
blanks and five marked with skull
and bones Then from q hat all were
required to draw number. The pris.
OnerS were then to draw from the
helmet in order of the numbers they
had drawn from the hat. Those draw.
ing skulls and bones were to be shot.
Mary Aikenside stepped UP to the
hat to draw her number. The officer
in charge saw her aud said:
"What are you doing here? You are
nothing but child"
"I'm here with the rest" replied the
girl"
The officer was about to order her to
stand aside when he recalled his COM
mander's words. Make it five in thir.
teen" He suffered her to draw a
number. aud she drew No. 4.
Then began the drawing from the
helmet.
No 3 was the first man to draw q
skull and bones. His knees gave way
beneath him as he tottered back from
the helmet. Mary's turn came next.
Il protest against that boys draw
ing" exclaimed young Egbert Booth.
The commander paid no attention to
him. and Mary drew. Her paper was
a blank.
While the drawing was going on
Mary stepped up beside Egbert Booth
and slipped her blank paper in his
hand. He looked at her. then at the
paper. and handed it back to her. She
gave him look Of mute appeal. but it
did not move him. He was unwilling
to stand on any other basis than that
Of his comrades Mary's object had
failed. She sank back out Of sight to
hide her distress. When Booth went
up to the helmet to draw she watched
him with eager eyes. He drew, turned
and held up the paper to the boy who
had befriended him. 1t was blank.
Mary fell in faint.
The prisoners who had drawn death
heads were placed In line and a par
ty Of muskeeters were about to fire
upon them when shout was heard in
an adjoining wood. and band of
Cavaliers came charging over the field.
The Roundheads. surprised and out
numbered. took to flight. The 'skull
and bones men chung together in an
embrace Then Egbert Booth turned
to Mary.
"Whence come you. boy?" he asked
in kindly voice.
"I'm Sir Thomas Aikenside's SON."
"Indeed! You are none of ours.'
"No I came here
The sentence was never finished.
The commanding officer Of the Cava-
liers rode up and. seeing Mary. asked
IL the king needed to rob the cradle
for recruits. Mary took advantage Of
the remark to tell him that she was a
temporary volunteer and desired per-
mission to go to her home. An hour
later. having watched the house for
an opportunity, she stole inside and up
to her room without being discovered.
Indeed. the household were out in
every direction searching for her.
Mary had barely time to assume her
own maidenly apparel when they be-
gan to return from their fruitless
search. Then she heard voices below.
81 am hahollnN sir IN n son of