Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-08-21
The Daily Story
CONVINCED-BY EDITH " ROSS.
Copyrighted. 1918. by Associated Literary Bureau.
1len Tor General Marion.

The first impulse of the officer was
to hang Athol without even trial by
drumhead court martial Then it oc-
Cured to him that the man should
have some time to make preparation
for death. and be concluded to so
through the form of a trial and leave
the time of his execution to the court
The command was a small one, and
there were but half dozen officers
connected with it. These were all con-
vened to court. and Athol was
brought before them. There was no
doubt that he had been caught carry
ing information, the penalty for which
was death. but he was permitted to
make an explanation. He said that
he was on his way to Charleston when
arrested in answer TO a summons he
had received from there: that he was
neither Tory nor rebel; that he had no
idea how the communication had come
into his pocket. He asked to see It
and was permitted to inspect it. The
handwriting was very like his own,
which added to his establishment Not
suspicion that his friend Pinckton
OF course the case was plain to the
court that tried him, though since they
were convened to convict him this
made little difference. They brought
in a verdict of guilty and sentenced
him to be hanged the next morning.
Meantime Mrs. Athol was riding to
the camp of the Continental troopers
she had heard of. Reaching the place
where they had been, she found that
they had moved. No one knew where,
for troops in war time are not accus-
toned to tell where they are going.
But the direction they had taken was
known, and Mrs. Athol started after
them.
While riding she thought of the trap
that it>was evident her former sutton
had laid for her husband and wonder
ed what it was that had been dropped
in the latter's pocket. This she could
not divine. She had no idea OF the
depth of degradation into which Pinck-
! ton had sunk. the treachery to one
| who trusted him implicitly and consid-
| cred him q bosom friend Tears came
| into her eyes as she thought Of her
husbands unjust speech to her when
she had warned him.
! Along the route she took she made
inquiries from time to time Of the
troopers she was chasing and learned
! that she was gradually drawing nearer
! to them. Then they were but few
miles ahead. then a mile. and at last
she came upon them as they were
about going into bivouac for the night.
She sought the officer in command and
told him of his proximity to the Brit
ish troops.
! The officer knew of this force and.
having superior numbers. was after
them to attack and capture them, but
he had been miSinformed as TO their
whereabouts and was moving in the
wrong direction. Mrs. Athol offered to
pilot him to their camp. but begged
him to send q few men to Pinckton'S
| plantation to arrest him. To this the
officer assented. and it was agreed that
after supper and Il rest the command
would saddle up with view to sur
rounding the Britishers before day.
1t was 10 o'clock when they started,
lighted by a half moon and piloted by
ton of the enemy so that the Ameri-
can force might be divided and np-
proach from different directions. Be-
fore they reached the vicinity of the
British camp it was near moonset, and
the night had become dark from clouds.
On reaching the place where her hus-
band had been captured Mrs. Athol
described three different routes by
which they might come upon the Brit
ish. The separate bodies started and
were each given an hour to get into
position. The signal for attack was to
be two shots in quick succession from
the troops accompanied by the com
manding officer.
When those two shots rang out on
the still night the British sentries gave
an alarm. and the redcoats sprang to
arms-too late. They were hemmed
in. and 1t did not require q long time
for their commanding officers to real
ize the fact He was called on to sur
render and did so without firing a shot
AthoI not only found himself liberat-
ed. but by his wife's fundamentally
She said nothing Of Pinckton's treach
cry. nut IN the morning lue inter was
brought into camp. and Mrs. Atho
made a charge against him and re
} quested the American commander tc
, convene court martial TO try him
The officer was not slow in granting
the request of one who had given hin
, victory, and the court was convened
By this time all knew that forged
document had been placed in Athol',
pocket. and Pinckton was charged Will
2 having placed it there He broke dow
? under Mrs Athol's testimony and con
/, fessed his crime.
? The court would have inflicted an,
: punishment Mrs. Athol named. but a
@ long as her husband was convinced O
his supposed friends perfdy she re
!. quested that he be allowed to go fre<
}. The incident. which had really b.
: come a tragedy. changed Athol fror
n being neutral in his sympathies to &
i. ardent patriot and he enlisted in u
, American army.
n | A. On