The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1914-06-26

WIFE
By M. QUAD
Copyright. 1914, by Associated Lit
crary Press.

II amt mindin' other folks business
nor never was,' said the third sergeant
as he placed Il skillet of bacon ON the
winter hut fireplace, but III 20 as
far as to say that it don't look right"
"Of course it DON'T" said the second
sergeant.
What you fellows BLOWN about?
asked the orderly sergeant as he came
In for fire to light his pipe.
You wouldn't guess in four years.
time, and l won't keep you shiverin'
and tremblin'. The captains wife has
GOMEZ"
And we was sayin'," said the Sec
ond sergeant as he lifted his eyes from
the coffee cup-"we was sayin' that it
wasn't discipline and didn't look right.
Jest think Of a woman down here"
by gosh!" whispered the orderly as
he sat down to his smoke.
WAL, what you goin' to do bout it -
asked the third sergeant after a pause.
Dunno.
4 month had passed, and no calami-
ties had occurred. Some Of the men
began to breathe easier and to VOL
der if they hadn't misjudged the kind
faced and smiling little woman who
was sacrificing Il good deal to be with
her husband for a few weeks.
1t was a cavalry command, and ev-
cry pleasant winters day the captain
and his wife had a gallop over the
highways. One day an engineer was
dispatched to e about repairs to a
bridge spanning a creek flowing
through the neutral ground between
the armies, and the orderly sergeant
of Company d va detailed with ten
men as an escort. The bridge a
reached and inspected, and the engi-
neer and his escort were ready for
their ride back when there came a
sudden alarm. Half a mile down the
road. where Captain Shattuck and his
wife had debOuched from Il 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 Il
bullet brought him out of the saddle.
His wife would have pulled up her
steed. but he took the 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-
tachment of Federals ut the bridge
and were hoping to make a surprise.
Its the captains wife, and the
Johnnies are close behind her." shout
ell the sergeant as the woman came
INTO view with a great clatter. "Open
ranks and let her through and then
close up and give 'em hail Columbia"
With a rush and a clatter the horse
Of the fugitive passed the blue clad
troopers. but came to 4 dead halt a
few rods beyond and turned about. 4.
vOlley from the carbines checked the
pursuers for the moment. but it was
seer that they We're strong enough to
break through. and the sergeant gave
the order to fall back to an abandoned
log house Il quarter of a mile in the
rear.
Men" 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 60
ing to leave him there?"
Its too bad. ma'am. but they are
three to one" replied the sergeant.
well be lucky if we amt killed or
gobbled up before help comes"
But I'm going to ride back!' she
cried as her pale face flushed and her
voice had Il thrill to it. If you won't
go with me to rescue your captain LII
let them take me prisoner and 60 to
Richmond with him."
Heavens, ma'am!' hoarsely whis-
pered 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 party"
"Not over fifty"
Fifty rebs and ten of us! Well
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'am!' .
mot a foot. I'm going with you.
Some one give me a revolver"
"By twOs-right wheel" shouted the
sergeant as he handed her his navy
and drew his saber. "NOw, then, ride
through or over them and don't stop
this side of the captain or the devil"
1t was a curious spectacle the gray
clad soldiers witnessed-a woman rid.
ing at the head of that charging
squadron. a woman with white face
and g%littering eyes. who held her reins
in one hand and used the pistol with
deadly effect with the otner. Through
the thick of them followed the ten.
and. fearing that the alarm might
have already reached the Federal
camps. the COnfederates disappeared
into the woods instead of pursuing
Down there beyond the bridge the cap
tain was lying on the ground with a
bullet in his shoulder and three men
guarding him. The cavalcade swept
nm RI Thorn and c,1rrOundo1 them. and