Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1913-02-21

dSlG TIE SlleIll
Captain Thornton. who had rolo"ed
closely after her. caught her In MS
arms as she sank back fainting ana
at sign from the general. carried her,
with the assistance of Warner, out OF
the room. Then. turning to captain
Cox. General Wnder said:
Your proposition is ont OF order, SIT.
and | cannot consider ii. The SIX men
whose names have been drawn Will re-
port at once in the rommisSury's room.
The general and his staff officers re-
tired. while Captain Warner and the
guard took up their positions at either
side OF the doorway.
Hunt. the sick man. who had been
helped by Lieutenant Bedloe to chair.
now got up again and grasped Captain
Cox's hand, saying:
Tom, you are the better man OF US
two-you have proved 1t IN every way
I'm glad Wnder wouldn't TAKE you, as
1t is far better that | should go. All
the same. you meant it. old fellow. and
1t was sublime
why. Ralph" snid Cox chokingly.
I'VE are coRradeS-old comrades. Say
no more. but wish to heaven | could
60 in your place"
Attentions! Fall in" commanded
Warner.
The six doomed men fell into line.
after silently shaking hands with those
left behind. Hunt leaning on the arm
of young Rpdloe. aud followed Warner
into the outer darkness. for night had
fallen and the fit FL! glare OF couple
of lanterns intensified rather than dis.
Sipated the surrounding gloom
Cox paced mp and down the forlorn
room. with bowed head and hands
clasped behind his back. for full fif-
teen minutes In the awed silence. Then
he muttpred:
This is the last blow Deacon. do
you ever despair Of what they call
| pruvidpncp:'
Never did yit." protested the sturdy
| HonSier. II can't and won't believe
| they are going TO sacrifice those boys
In cold blood Such things amt In the
hounds of civilization"
81 don't know. How about war It,
self! Here you have it. the deadliest
! kind-brother against brother. tell
you. Hart. we haven't seen the worst
yet. though God knows there's enough
to make the angels In heaven weep al
ready"
, We'll. one thing Is certain-these
hostages won't be sacrificed unless the
Confederate prisoners are executed
frst--so our side will have the first
| move anyhow"
What sort of consolation is that to
: the fellows who get shot or hungr
Here another violent conmotion In
terrupted. Marie Mason entered--a lone,
disheveled. bright eyed apparition.
"Oh. Tom" she gusped breathleSsly.
! "Whut-you poor child. are you still
! here?" Cox exclaimed, this time gath
sring her unreservedly into his arms.
| "You must leave this accused place
or you will go mad-if you don't drive
US So" d.
I've come back to tell you there's
more news"
"Of what? or whom?'
From Westinghouse the Confed'
crate prisoners. General Winder has
| just received Dispatch
Great Jehosophat!' calculated Hart
Didn't | tell you so?"
What does the dispatch say?' ask
ed Cox
~ don't know. but it is favorable, l
am sure that Is. there aren't going TO
be any executions. | heard the gen.
eral say that much"
Here comes the commtssary,' an
nounced Hart
"For Gods sake Captain Warner"
said Cox. as that official reappeared,
don't keep us In this horrible suspense
another minute What's the latest
newsT
'rhere's a woman about-what more
do you want?" replied Warner. "She
overheard d secret about minute ago
and as a natural result it's all over the
place by this time"
II beg of you. cap, on my Bonded
knees" pleaded Hart, suiting the &C.
ton to the word.
"Well." said the commissary captain,
very deliberately taking a paper from
his pocket. II suppose you-uns may as
| well be put out of your misery. Here's
| q COPY of the dispatch General Winder
has got from Abe Lincoln. l thought
the Washington government would
back down" .
He handed the paper to Cox VINO
read eagerly aloud:
| President learns from New York trial OF
| Confederate cruiser prisoners resulted In
| disagreement Of jury. Leniency to be
| shown. Proposed holding Of Union hos
tages In Jeopardy at Richmond unneces-
| sary. Question of exchange referred 10
separate negotiations pending on that SUBJ
| ject- SIMON CAMEhON,
Secretary Of War.
"You see, was right this time"
said Marie triumphantly.
"Hooray! Here come the boys back"
| cried Deacon Hart. What did | say
| about faith In Providence? This Is
| going to he blessed Thanksgiving.
even II we amt exchanged yit"
"Oh. Tom. this il your last chance"
whispered Marie as the tramp of ap-
preaching footsteps was heard outside.
Last chance for whatT' asked Cap