The Lamar register., 1911-10-25


pathos as he wrung my hand good
bye. Sheridan. he said. had gone
down the lines. and both Brennan and
himself were under orders to follow In
another hour. What instructions. II
any. had been left regarding my case
he could not say. but he feared the
worst from the unusual secrecy. Sher-
idan expected to return to his head
quarters that same evening. as the
officers Of his staff were to give q
grand ball.
felt no inclination to partake Of
the ruds supper left me. and Just be-
fore dark l was lying upon the bench
idly wondering II that was to prove
the last vestige Of daylight l should
ever behold In this world. when. with
out slightest warning. the heavy iron
grating in the wall directly above me
fell suddenly. striking the edge Of the
bench. and clattered noisily to the
floor. The fall was SO unexpected. and
my escape from injury SO narrow. that
l lay almost stunned. staring up help
lessly at the dark hole thus left bare.
As I gazed. . face framed itself In
this narrow opening. and two wary
yes peered cautiously down at me.
There was no mistaking that counte-
nance even in the fast waning light,
and l instantly sat up with an sx-
clamation of surprise.
Jed Bungay. as live!"
The puzzled face broke into q grin
OF delight.
Holy smoke. Cap" he calculated.
with a deep sigh Of relief. lis tibet you.
suah? l wus so burned skeered I'd
made a mess o. It whin tibet thar Iron
drapped tibet ! near died. whut be
they a goin' ter dew with ye?"
Il have every reason to believe It 10
their purpose to shoot me at day.
break tomorrow"
"Sboot?-Heil!" He stared at me ~
II he had Just heard his own death
sentence pronounced. and his little
peaked face looked CHASTITY In the dim
light. Shoot ye? Good Lord. Cap
whut fer? Ye ain't done nothin' az
/ knows on. 'cept ter scrap q bit with
tibet blasted Yank. an sure thet's no
shootin' matter. or else I'd q bin .
goner long ago"
That 'Yank has seen fit to charge
me with being . SPY: and as I was
foolish enough to insult General Sher-
idan last night, my fate IL probably
sealed"
This somewhat complex statement
seemed to be too much for Jed to
grasp promptly.
Gosh. ye don't sayi" he muttered.
Then. durn II. I'm In luck. fer all
they've got agfn me 10 ot-shootin' at
a niger soger up in Their mountings;
en- tibet amt much. cause didn't hit
Their burned cuss.-
Jed was carefully covering every
inch of exposed wall with his little
shrewd. glinting eyes.
Amt much show ter work out O.
yere. is thar. Capt" he asked at last
reflectively; "lsastwise / don't see
none. less them thar dark corners hes
got holes in EN-"
The wall 10 entirely solid"
so I sorter reckoned. But II yell
crawl through yere inter my boodour,
thar's a place whar reckon Their
tew Of us tergether mought make q
try fer 1t. It's too durn high up fer
II ye cud manage ter git out O. yere
ternight. an take some news ter Lee
tibet I've picked up. he'd bort make
both OF US ginerals."
News for Lsef" exclaimed, star
ing eagerly at him through the now
darkened room. DO you mean 1T
What news?"
Thought maybe tibet wud wake 70
up" he chuckled. This ysre's gospel
truth: Sheridan hes started his In
fantry on half-circle march fer Min
ersville. Their first division left ct
three O'Clock. an thar won't BE- nary
Yank loafin' on Their valley by noon
termorrow. An more" he added rapid
ly. his eyes dancing wildly with sup
pressed excitement.-"Hancoc 10 .
sSingin' of his corps west ter meet
EN- thar. an I reckon. as how tharu
be hell fer sartin up Their Shenandoah
In less ner . week"
But how do you know all thisf'
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