The Pioche record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1908-1925, 1913-03-22

w CTlSu. III Is not 10 lltttotLi,
b but to death, they would
take you. Don't go, Tom.
The lots decided il fairly. and your
maine was no: drawn. You shall not
Here the silent Confederate officer,
Cantlin Thornton. who had followed
c,e,iy after her, caught her In his
arms as she sank back fainting and,
at Il sign from the general. carried her,
with the assistance of Warner, out Of
the room Then. turning to Captain
Cox, General Wlnder said
'You proposition is out Of order. sir.
and | cannut consider 1t. The six men
Whose names lave been drawn will re-
port ut once III The commissarys room"
The genera, and his staff officers re-
tired. while Captain Warner and the
guard took up their positions at either
side of he lonfway.
Hunt. the sick man. who had been
helped by Lieutenant Bedloe TO a chair
CoxS hand saying:
Tom. yon are the better man Of us
two you have proved 1t in every way.
I'm glad Winder wouldn't take you. us
1t is far better that | should go. All
the same. you meant it. old fellow and
it WAS sublime"
why. Ralph" said Cox chokingiy.
we are comrades old comrades. Say
no more. but wish 10 heaven could
go III Your place"
Attention. Fail In" commanded
Warner.
The six doomed men fell into line.
aftpr-silpntly shaking hands with those
left behind. Hunt leaning on the arm
of Young BedIue. and followed Warner
into the outer darkness. for night had
fallen and the titfHl glare Of Il couple
of lanterns intensified rather than dis
sipated the surrounding gloom.
Cox paced up and down the forlorn
room. with bowed head and hands
clasped behind his back, for full If
teen minutes in the awed silence. Then
he muttered:
This Is the last blow. Deacon. dc
you ever despair of what they call
Pruvidence:"
Never did yit." protested the sturdy
EDosier. II can't and won't believe
t..ey are going to sacrifice those boys
in cold blood. Such things amt in thu
bounds VI civilization"
81 cont know How about war 1t
self! Here you have it, the deadies
kind brother against brother. | tel
you. Hart. we haven't seen the wors
yet, thaush God knows there's enough
to make the angels in heaven weep al
read.i."
We'll. one thing is certain-thes
hostages won't be sacrificed unless til
Confederate prisoners are executes
frst-so our side will have the frs
move anyhow"
what sort OF consolation Is that I
the fellows who get shot or hung!
Here another violent commotion II
terrupted. Marie Mason entered-a lon'
disheveled. bright eyed apparition.
"Oh, Tom" she gasped breath!eSsl,
"What- sou poor child. are you SIT
here:" Cox exclaimed. this time gait
ering her unreservedly into his arm
lyon must leave this accursed pla'
or you will go mad-if you don't dri'
us aO."
1--WE come back to tell you there
more news"
'Of what? or whom?"
"trom Westinghouse the COME
crate prisoners. General Winder h
Just received a Dispatch
Great Jehosophat" calculated Ha
Didn't tell you so!"
"What does the dispatch say ms
ed Cox.
II don't know. but it Is favorable,
am sure that is, there aren't gong
be any executions. | heard the 81
eral say that much"
"Here comes the commissary."
D0unced Hart.
.For Gods sake. Captain Warne
said Cox, as that official reappear
don't keep us In this horrible susper
another minute! What's the lat
pewsY'
"rhere's a woman about-what M
do you want?" replied Warner. :
overheard a secret about minute
and NJ natural result it's all over
place by this time"
II beg Of you. cap, on my peu'
knees" pleaded Hart. suiting the
ton to the word.
"Weil." said the commissary capts
very deliberately taking paper II
Al