The daily Alaskan., 1914-06-09
THECAPTAIN'S
 WIFE
Copyright. 1914. by Associated Lit
 CraTy Press.
By M QUAD

.A am UalNlI hlitl 4DihH HH9lAIS9 nor never was." said the third sergeant as he placed a skillet of bacon on the winter hut fireplace, but I'll go as far as to say that it don't look right"
 "Of course it dou't," said tue second sergeant
 "What you fellows blOwin' about" asked the orderly sergeant as he came in for fire to light his pipe.
 "You wouldn't guess in four years time, and | won't keep you shiverin' and tremblin' The captains wife has come"
 And we was sayin'," said the sec oud sergeant as he lifted his eyes from the coffee cup-''we was sayin' that 1t wasn't discipline and didn't look right Jest think of woman down here"
 By gosh" whispered the orderly as he sat down to his sm0Ee.
 "Waal, what yOu gJIo' 10 do bout itT" asked the third sergeant after a pause.
 Dunno"
 A month had passed and no calomi- ties had occurred. Some of the men began to breathe easier and to wou- der if they hadn't misjudged the kind faced and smiling little woman who was sacrificing a good deai to be with her husband for few weeks,
 It was cavalry command, and ev- cry pleasant winters day the captain and his wife had gallop over the highways. One day an engineer was dispatched to see about repairs to bridge spanning a creek flowing through the neutral ground between the armies. and the orderly sergeant of Company D was detailed with ten men as am escort The bridge was reached and inspected. and thP engi- ncer and his escort were ready for their ride back when there came a sudden alarm. Half a mile down the road. where Captain ShUttuCk and his wife had dcbUUchcd from a Crossroad while taking an afternoon gallOp, they had run full tilt against a Confederate cavalry scout. The enemy had shout ed to the captain to surrender and as he wheeled his horse to get away bullet brought him out of the saddle. His wife would have pulled up her steed. but he took thc bit in his mouth and was beyond control As she went flying up the road the scouting party followed. They knew of the small de tachmant of Fedcrals at the bridge and were hoping to make a surprise.
 "Its the captains wife, and the Johnutcs are close behind her" shout cl the sergeant as the woman came into view with a great cIattcr "Open ranks and let her through and then close up and give 'cm hail Columbia"
 With a rush and a clatter the horse of the fugitive passed the blue clad troopers. but came to a dead halt a few rods beyond and turned about A vouev from the carbincs checked the nursuovs for the moment, but it was seen that they were strong enough to break through. and thc sergeant gave the order to fall back to an abandoned log house a quarter of mile in the rear.
 "Mcn." exclaimed the woman as she looked from man to man, do you know that your captain is back there, wounded and a prisoner? Are you go- ing to leave him there"
 "Its too bad. ma'am but they are three to one" replied the sergeant wen be lucky if we atn't killed or gobbcd uD before help comes"
 "But I'm going to ride back" she cried as her pale face flushed and her voice had a thrill to it. If you won't go with me to rescue your captain I'll let them take me prisoner and go to Richmond with him."
 "Ucavpns. ma'am" hoarsely whis- Dercd the sergeant. with admiration in his eyes. "But we'll have the captain or die. How far down the road was it?"
 "Not over half a mile"
 And how many rebs in the Darty?"
 Not over fifty"
 Fifty rcbs and ten of us! We'll never do it, but we'll die for the cap- tain. Into your saddles, boys! You ride on toward camp with the engi- neer. ma'0mE
 Not a foot. I'm going with you. Some one give me a revolver"
 By twos-rtght wheel" shouted the sergeant as he handed her his navy and drew his sabcr Now, then, ride through or over them and don't stop this side of the captain or the devil|
 It was a curious spectacle the gray clad soldiers witnessed-a woman rid ing at the head of that charging s0uadron. a woman with white face and gIittering eyes, who held her reins in one hand and used the pistol with deadly effect with the other. Through the thick of them followed the ten, and. fearing that the alarm might have already reached the Federal camns. the COnfedcrates disappeared into the woods instead of pursuing. Down there beyond the bridge the cap- tafn was lying on the ground with a