Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1911-09-07

open window regarding Jakey severe
~.
Come away from that ar fence"
Jakey skipped along toward her. do
ing little waltzing as be went
"Ef that ar boy wasn't sich chile,
I'd think he'd ben up to sumep'n."
What war yer a-doen by that ar
fence?' she asked when be came up.
"Nuthen."
What war that y throwed over"
"Oh, | war only throwen stones"
what yer throwen stones that
away fur?"
Fur fun
well. y just keep away from tn
fence er y shan't play in tn yard at
all I'll shet v up with tibet big brother
O. yourn."
WAL, | won't go thar no more"
And .Jakey took a top out Of his trou-
sers pocket and began plugging imagi-
nary tops on the ground.
Mark hoped that the preparations
the Confederat IS were making for the
expected move would cause them to
forget him He was not destined to
be so fortunate The second day after
his capture he was taken before court
martial held in a house occupied by the
staff department, to be tried on the
charge Of being a spy.
The court was assembled and ready
to proceed with the case An officer
had been detailed to defend the pris'
oner, but he had not arrived and the
court waited, Presently a clatter OF
horses hoofs was heard outside. 1t
stopped before the door of the house,
and in another moment Marks coun-
sci entered the room.
Mark looked at him with astOniSh-
ment In the tall. straight soldier with
black hair and eyes. muStache and
goatee. bearing about him that some
thing which indicates Ito the manor
born" he recognized the officer who had
called at the Fains on the morning he
had left them-Captain Cameron Fitz
Hugh.
AS soon as he entered he beckoned
the prisoner to follow him to a corner
Of the room apart from the others for
consultation 1t was not a convenient
place for such an important interview,
but one charged with being a spy was
not likely to get many favors, and the
exigencies of the case did not admit of
aught except the bare forms Of JUS
tice
will you give me your confidence,
my man. or shall proceed at random"
"At random"
eff you think it best to trust me,
give you the word of Virginia gentle
man that will not betray you, and l
will do all | can for you. am FitZ
Hugh"
He said this unconscious Of how it
would sound to northerner. To him
to be Fitz Hugh was to be incapable
of a dishonorable act, Mark under
stood him perfectly: indeed his counsel
inspired him with every confidence.
Il would explain everything to you.
captain, but my secret is not all my
own. would be perfectly willing to
trust my fate in your hands if could
fail in your defense but | thank you
for the effort you will make"
The trial was of brief duration. The
soldiers in whose company Mark was
taken were called and testified to his
having masqueraded as staff officer.
Knowing now that he was probably q
Union spy. they would have shielded
him. but they had already given Up
the secret Mark was asked where he
lived.
He had entered his name at the no.
tel as coming from Jasper. so be gave
that place as his residence, but when
asked what county Jasper was in be
could not tell. The maps be had stud
ied being military maps, did not give
the counties Then some Tennessee
soldiers were brought in--the town
swarmed with them-who testified that
they lived at Jasper and had never
seen the prisoner there. The closing
evidence against Mark was given by
the recruiting officer with whom he
had promised to enlist Hearing that
a spy had been taken, and suspecting
it might r, his promised recruit, be
went to the courtroom and there rec
ognized the prisoner. His testimony
was sufficient The court had made up
its mind before the prisoners counsel
had said word
Captain FitZ Hugh seemed distressed
at not being able to bring forth any
evidence in behalf Of the prisoner.
When he arose to speak in Marks de-
Tense the court listened to him with
marked attention and respect-indeed
they were as favorably impressed with
the accused's counsel as they were IN
favorably disposed toward the accused.
The captain was obliged to content
himself with warning the court against
convicting a man of being a spy be-
cause his identity was not satisfacto-
rily explained and on circumstantial
evidence. He asked that the prisoner
might have more time than had been
given him in which to gather evidence
in his behalf
Tho ooYrt 6onioa fbic rooro1+ o-1