Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-05-08
The Daily Story
Copyrighted. 1918. py Associated Literary Bureau

not to he discovered, for there was no
hght-crawled in among them.
rs Southgate here:" he asked in
whisper.
No. Hes in the next tent Who
are you?"
"A friend. want to find South,
gate"
How did you get in here:"
stole in when the sentry's back was
turned"
The person. whoever he was. went
into the next tent. asked for Southgate
and on finding him whispered:
I'm Emily"
No word was spoken for few mo-
a tight embrace
Why have you come" asked South
gazette bid me goodby?" ..,r.
NO; to try to save you" .ssls,,s
How can you do that?"
Take my suit of butternut and my
side arms. You may be able to pass
the sentries"
And you?"
81 will remain here in your place"
''To be shots"
NO; at the right time I will con-
fess who | am"
Southgate pondercd a few minutes
and then said:
NO; if | were to succeed-which I
Troublesome other of my companions
would be shot in my place. / will not
go"
Word was passed among the prison
ers of the coming of a girl among
them, and all agreed on urging Dick
TO take advantage OF the opportunity.
Possibly another man might not be
chosen in his place: possibly Emily's
brave act might save them all. So
great was the pressure brought to bear
upon him that he finally consented.
Having exchanged clothes and put
on the side arms-n bayonet-South-
gate crawled from under the tent and
took look at his surroundings. There
We're four sentries pacing on four sides
of a square surrounding the tents. The
only light was from some campfres
before the guard tents. but at this
hour they were not kept up and were
smolderinG. Dick got down on the
ground and crawIed in what shadow
there was thrown by the prisoners
tents toward one of the sentinels pac-
ing in the greatest dark. On reach
ing a point rs near him ms he dared
Dick found n slight hollow in the
ground and waited for the sentry to
turn his back. then made as quick a
dash as his condition would allow
across the sentry's beat. He reached
the outside of the square. but dare not
run for II. since the sentry would
surely turn in time TO see him. So he
walked straight toward the man. who,
when he turned and saw n soldier who
had seemingly sprung from the ground.
started Dick walked straight on and
! passed him. The sentry. seeing the
{ butternut clothes and side arms of n
soldier. said not n word to him. but
turned and watched him as he passed
| out OF sight.
! Day came. bringing the shril whistle
! Of fife and heat of drum. the reyeile
which wakes the soldier. followed by
the men standing in ranks answering
to their names at roll call. At the
same time a firing squad was turned
prisoners who were TO be shot on to
the parade There were six Of them.
! The officer in charge of the execution
walked up to them. inspected them
and noticed Emily Morgan.
whats this: You look like that
recruit who enlisted yesterday" he
/ said.
81 ~, +bot ran-uitr
! what
/ And I'm Il girl"
What in thunder are you doing In
this lot?"
Emily told him that she had come
/ into the camp To effect the escape Of
one Of the prisoners and had succeed.
/ ed The officer. after recovering from
his establishment. scratched his head
thonghtfu!ly.
I'm ordered tn shoot six men. and
! there's only FIVE. one being a girl and
not the right man anyway. Sergeant.
march the prisoners back to their guar
te:s You TO another noncpmmission-
ed officer march the firing squad back
and dismiss them for the present.
YOu TO Emily come with me-
Taking Emily 10 the coloDeis quar-
ters he waited till the officer had per.
formed his mornings nblutOns in n
tin basin. then reported the situation
The colnnel questioned Emily and was
much impressed with her act. He III
rerted the officer TO leave her. and
wien alone with him she made n stir
riEg appeal for him TO spare the lives
of the men he had orGeSs i shot
soldier naturally shrinEs from
making an executioner ~ himself.
This. together with admiration FOR the
GIRLS devotion. won him. and he issued
an order that the men selected to he
shot should be treated as prisoners of
war
Such is the story still told hr q man
whose hair is white rs snow. whose
wife IL an old lady. and TIE two are
about to celebrate their .o,den we'd
ding. Every Memorial day eiffe- one
or the other tells II "a nu-7..rnns prog.
! eny NJ cis!!drcn and Grandchildren.