The Blackfoot optimist. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1907-1918, 1912-05-20
CHAPTER XIII.
A STRANGE Nav Our.

A Strange Way Out.
Cation came in once more about the
middle OF the afternoon, bringing me
some blankets; but he had no news
and his boyish face was a picture Of
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 IL
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 was lying upon the bench
idly wondering II that was to prove
the last vestige Of daylight | 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
lay almost stunned, staring up help
iessly at the dark hole thus left bare.
AS ! gazed. face framed itself in
this narrow opening, and two wary
eyes peered cautiously down at me.
There was no mistakir- that counte.
nance oven in the fast waning light,
and ! instantly sat up with an ex.
clamation OF surprise
Jed Bungay. as | live!"
The puzzled face broke into a grin
of delight
Holy smoke, Cap" he calculated
with deep sigh of relief, us tibet YOU
suah? wus SO burned skeered I'd
made mess O it whin tibet thar iron
drappeu tibet | near died Whit be
they goin' ter dew with ye?"
Il have every reason to believe it is
their purpose to shoot me at day
break tomorrow"
"Shoot?-Hell!" He stared at me as
If he had just heard his own death
sentence pronounced. and his little
peaked face looked CHASTITY in the dim
light. Shoot We? Goo. Lord, Cap,
Whut fer? Ye amt done nothin' as
| knows on, 'cept ter scrap bit with
tibet blasted Yank, an sure thet's no
shootin matter. err else I'd bin q
goner long ago"
That 'Yank' has seen fit to charge
me with being spy, and as | was
foolish enough to insult General Sher
idan last night. my fate is probably
scaled"
This somewhat complex statement
seemed to be too much COR Jed to
grasp promptly.
Gosh. ye don't say!" he muttered
Then, durn it. I'm in luck, fer all
they've got agin me is potshootin' at
a niger soger up IA 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.
we're. is thar Cap?" he asked at last
reflectively; "leastwise don't see
none. less them thar dark corners hes
got holes in EN-"
THE wall is entirely solid"
so | sorter reckoned But II ven
crawl through yere inter my boodour
ttar's place whar | reckon Their
tew Of us tergether mought make a
try fer 'l It's too durn high up fer
me ter git at alone. | reckon, Cap.
II We cud manage ter git out O. yere
-ernight. an take some news ter Lee
thet I've picked up. he'd bout make
both of us ginerals."
News for Lee?" | exclaimed. star.
ng eagerly at him through the now
1arkened room do you mean 1t?
What news?"
Thought maybe tibet wud wake We
lp." ne chuckled This yere's gospel
ruth: Sheridan hes started his In.
antry on haifcircle march fer Min.
'rsville. Their first division left ct
hree O'Clock. an thar won't be nary
fank loafin' on ther valley by noon
ermorrow An more" he added rapid
y, his eyes dancing wildly with sup
PRESSED ent,-"Hancock is a
.ingin' OF his corps west tar meet
EN- tha. an | reckon. as how thar'u
'e hell fer sartin up Their Shenandoah
n less ner week" ,
Put how do you knew all this ?" ! .
uestiOned incredulousiy. as the whole ,
Gene and its dread possibilities un. ,
oiled before my mental vision. .
"Tber Niger | held IN he'd a do | .
ratch fer Heintzelman over on Their ,
eft. an then Marian she sorter
jumped young fule staff officer fer
her rest o it," he replied promptly /,
Oh, IT'S sure go. Cap. an reckon
: how maybe Lees whole army hangs
n one OF us glttin out O yere ter
light"