Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1918-11-29
CHAPTER XVII.

CHAPTER XVII.
| Hartley sat UP on the Stretcher and
! fixed his eyes Oh Rewards face. Il
was evident that he was desperately
wounded. One Of the orderlies kneeled
beside him and held him.
s'This man." said the General, chew
! ing at his mustache in emotion which
he could not altogether hide, twas once
try. He was engaged in confidential
work in the war department. He was
accused Of espionage-unjustly &C
cused."
With q low cry Eleanor rushed fer
ward and kneeled beside the stricken
man; she placed hes arms about him
and drew his mead down upon her
shoulder, looking Eiteously into the
weary eyes. Hampton raised her hand
TO his lips and kissed it.
"UnjustIy accused" repeated the
General. Major. Kellerman, stand to
attention, sir! You shall be heard
later. He was the victim OF the Sys-
tenn, which was even then laying it's
plans in Washington He was the VIC
tim of woman named MorsheiIl---
Hilda Morsneim, whose activities were
well known, though we could then do
nothing to counteract them. She made
q speciality OF Turing young officers into
gambling dens, winning large sums
from them, and thus leading them
down the slope toward disgrace and
death.
"She had confederate who was
highly placed in the war department.
When, by their united efforts, they
failed to make a traitor Of Captain
Hampton, they compassed his ruin.
How they did SO I need not describe
now. The facts are Of record; it is
enough to say that they succeeded.
Hampton was driven into exile; but
they were not satisfied with that. They
broke his career, they drove him from
the company OF all decent men. But
that was not enough. They broke his
wife's heart; she died. They made his
name enc Of eXecration. Still they
were not satisfied. With devilish in
genuity they sought to cover their
tracks by making it appear that Hamp-
ton was still carrying on his trade, still
selling government secrets. You see
why, Colonel?" he continued, turning
to Howard because they themselves
were continuing their vile work, and
the new leakages had to be accounted
for"
Keilerman, CHASTITY white, leaned
against the brick wall; he was fun
bling nervously in his tunic pocket.
81 suppose, sir, that you are accus-
ing he began.
"Be silent, sir! Gentlemen he con-
tinued, addressing Mark and the Colo
mel, 'tyou are interested in knowing
what happened to this man Hampton.
He could not rid himself OF the belief
that justice, though slow, is pretty
sure. He had faith in God. Unfortu-
nately he hadIess faith in himself. Am
I wronging you, Hanlpton?" he con-
tinued, addressing Hartley.
'No, SIR muttered the man on the
sHe wishes me to tell the whole
story. He went to Cuba and flung in
his lot with tie rebels. He became
disguised with their means and meth
DDS, obtained a pardon from General
Weyler, and took up his residence in
Santiago. The outbreak of the war
surprised him there. He knew that
Santiago would fall, and he had been
warned that he would receive short
shrift at the hands Of orr people.
"He longed for death, but he had two
things that kept alive the desire for
life. One was his child. the other the
desire for yindication, which had be-
come mononiania. He tried to escape
into the jungle. He saw that it, was
hopeless.
"He was hiding in little hut when
he heard footsteps. An American sol
der, who had strayed from his COM
pany, was coming into the clearing. At
that moment stray bullet caught him
in the head, killing him instantly.
Hampton saw his chance. He took off
the dead mans clothing and put it on;
he dressed the body in his own. He
knew that by this means he could pass
through the lines liz the guise Of
wounded man, until ne had chance to
get rid Of his uniform in the cabin of
some Cuban. who would be only too
we'll pleased to give him some rags in
exchange for il. And, leaving his
money and papers on the dead man, he