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About Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 27, 1903)
THE ILLUSTRATED BEE. December 27, 1903L l Tor srerytblngl I aha II go to my death gladly." Tour death V "Tea. Tour confession to me make no difference" "But I will ten the general" "1 forbid It I Darling, you have com Tnltted an act of treason to the south, and While your love for your father and for me has explained it, you could not make such a plea a that before any court martial composed of soldiers. Tou would only harm yourself and you would not help me, and so I won't allow It," "But I will tell the general !" "Dearest, no," said Sempland, smiling fondly at her. "We will anticipate what ml(h t have been. If all had gone well you would have promised to obey me before the altar. Would you notT" Ehe nodded with astonishing docility, . "Well, then" ' "And If I will notr "Why, then, I shall have to discredit you, as I threatened, and my own situation will be more serious than before, for I shall brand myself as a coward as well and you would not like your lover to have that stigma on him." "Tou will not let me save you. then?" "No," answered the man sighing deeply, "and life If so different to me now. I didn't care an hour ago what happened, but now" There was a tap on the door. "What is It?" he called out impatiently. "It's me, Lieutenant Sem pi and Sergeant Slattery," answered the sergeant of the guard, a whilom friend of Sempland. "On mo own account, sor, I come to tell ye that they'll be afther comin' for ye in a few minutes, an' ye'd better git ready fer 'em. If. ye have anythin' any preparations to make, ye'd better be quick about it, Bor." "Thank you," answered Sempland. "Tou hear, dearest? Tou must go. I must have a moment to myself to enable me to face this court-martial. Leave me now, I beg of you. Go home. After it Is over I shall auk permission of the general to have you visit me." "I cannot go," said Fanny Glen archly. "Why not?" "I am a prisoner." "A prisoner! What for?" "For treachery, disobedience of orders, h, everything!" she answered glibly. "What do you mean?" "General Beauregard sent me here this morning. The court-martial Is for me. not you. They're going to set you free and I am to be tried and shot, it may be." "Nonsense! How did he find out?" "I told him myself. I didn't disobey you, you see. Tou had not forbidden me to do it thon." "What did you tell him?" "That Admiral Vernon was my father ani that I kept you I I loved you." "Great heaven! And" "And then ho called the adjutant gen eral and they whispered together a mo ment, and then he sent me here." "Why did you do It?" cried the man, re proachfully. "They will punish you in some way. I would rather have died than have you tell. What shall I do now?" CHAPTER XI. The Cieaeral's Mltlr (omrl. There was a hurried movement on the part of the sentry in the corridor, followed by the trampling of many feet; sabers clanked, voices broke the stillness. Fanny Glen was really frightened now. They were coming. They were there. What, were they about to do to her? Of Claws of Russian Dear (Continued from Page Four.) able spirit of brotherhood In a Russian mess, and one officer stands absolutely upon an equality with another. It is this feature of Russian military life which most surprises foreign officers when they dine on a Russian warship or with a garrison mesa They stare in amaseroent -when they hear a mere boy of a lieutenant call his colonel by his Christian name, or even chaff him as he might have chaffed one of his chums at the naval academy. Cortaln distinctions In the commissioned ranks are peculiar to the Russian navy, and form an interesting link with the pasL A boy enters the sen-Ice as a naval cadet, and the ranks to which lie may bo promoted are the following: Cadet of the navy. Junior lieutenant, lieutenant of the navy, captain of the navy, captain of corvette, captain of frigate, commodore, vice admiral, admiral, admiral of the navy. course, they would not shoot her she was reasonably sure of that but In' any event she was certain to be parted from her lover. Bhe drew nearer to him as the door was opened. On the threshold stood General Beaure gard himself, his visage charged with an unusual degree of solemnity. Back of him were grouped the members of his start and others' who had been on the wharf the night before. They were all in full uniform and made a most Impressive sight. It waa a highly dramatic moment, full of menace to the woman. As for Sempland, ho scarcely comprehended it. "The court-martial!" whispered Fanny Glen, fearfully. Instinctively shrinking closer to Sempland as she spoke. That officer knew, of course, that no court-martial was ever inaugurated in that manenr, but he said nothing. He did not understand. He would await develop ments. Something waa In the wind, cer tainly. What could It be? "Captain Sempland," said the General formally, advancing further Into the room followed by the rest, "you are relieved from arrest, sir, and" "Captain Sempland?" mnrmured Semp land In great surprise. "Tea. sir. Captain Sempland," with marked emphasis on the title. "Tou are restored to duty forthwith, sir," con ' tlnued the General, smiling at his aston ished subordinate. "The charges of neglect of duty and disobedience of orders which I made last night and repeated this morn ing are withdrawn. There never was any suspicion of cowardice or treason. Al though you did not succeed, having been prevented by causes beyond your control, as I now learn, from taking out the David, yet your earnest desire to do so, the fact that you volunteered for the detail, and even besought me to give it to you, the extreme measures to which you resorted to escape from confinement In order to carry out your orders,' even going so far as to threaten a lady, warrant me In promoting you." - Here," receiving the weapon from one of the staff officers, "Is your sword. I return it to you." Next the General drew some papers from his coat. "Hre Is your commission as captain. Here are orders which take you to the Army of Northern Virginia. They are accompanied by a personal letter to my friend. General Lee. in which I have asked him to give you a position on his staff with all Its opportunities for useful service and dls- . tlnction. May you reflect credit, as I have no doubt you will, upon the south, the state of South Carolina, and all our hopes and ambitions for you. Gentlemen," to the " others, "you are all witnesses to the re habilitation of Captain Sempland?" The room was instantly filled with the sound of hearty cheering from the offi cers in attendance. . "General Beauregard, you have over whelmed me," faltered Sempland as soon as he could make himself heard. "I have done nothing to deserve this honor." Beauregard stepped nearer to him. "You would have sacrificed your life for a woman," whispered the gallant little gen eral approvingly, "I understand." Then he said aloud: "See that you Btrlve to merit our trust and confidence In the future then. Tou will have many chances for great deeds with General Iee, would that I ' were with him." "General," said the young man, "your kindness emboldens me. This ludy, sir" "Is a prisoner," said the general shortly. "I know it, sir. She committed a terrible blunder, yet '" "Gentlemen," Bald Beauregard, turning to his staff officers, "you know the story of last night. How this lady interfered to pre These ranks were adopted from the British navy In the time of Peter the Great, and have remained unchanged ever since then. The corvettes and frigates disappeared long ago, but the titles are retained. One branch of the Russian army Is totally unlike any force possessed by other civilixed powers. It is, of course, the Cossack levy, which numbers 142,000 men. Every able-bodied Cossack Is liable to service, without limit of age. He becomes liable at 18. and the liability does not cease so long as he Is able to rido a horse or carry a gun. But only a proportion of the Cossacks serve at one time. The rest are granted "unlimited leave," or belong to the reserve. The Cossack feels the burden of military service more heavily than any other man In the world. At 18 he begins three years' preparatory service In the locality where he dwells. After that Is over he is drafted Into one of the three Coesai k 'bans" for twelve years' service in any part of the fiy. pirs. Hs spends seven years with tho colore vent an Important military maneuver, the object of which was the destruction of the federal flagship by a torpedo and Inci dentally the probable death of Captain Sempland. Such conduct Is essentially trea sonable, especially In a state of war. What Is the punishment for Buch actions In the face of the enemy?" "Death, sir," returned the assistant gen eral solemnly. "Are you all agreed as to that, gentle men?" "We are, sir," waa the unanimous reply. They had been well tutored In the little comedy which the general had arranged. It was evident. "Impossible, sir!" cried Sempland In agony. They deceived even him with their seriousness. "This is most Irregulur! I protest" "I am ready, gentlemen," whNpcred Fanny Glen bravely, turning very white as she spoke and not appearing at all rendy In fact, "I I am glad to suffer since Cap tain Sempland" she fullered with a mis erable attempt at courage. "One moment, please." broke In the little general Imperatively. "But gentlemen, the culprit has otherwise deserved -well of her country, as you know. During the war her services in the general hospital have been beyond price. Bhe is a woman. On the ship which It was proposed to blow up was her father, Admiral Vermon, South Carolinian, whose Ideas of duty led him to continue his services to the United States. These are mitigating circumstances. Here Is no treachery to the south, merely a woman's desire to save her father from a swift and sudden death. No mischance has arisen from her action. Major Lacy took out the boat with his usual distinction, although, fortunately for the lady, the Hounatonlc seens to have suffered Instead of the Wabash. Under these rlrrumstances, I think, it does not behoove us to be too severe. Tou. agree with me, I am sure, gentlemen?' "Certainly, sir. we do," replied the officers In chorus. "Thank you! thank you!" exclaimed Fanny Glen gratefully with boundless relief in her voice. By this time sho was as close to Semp land as she could get, and entirely un conscious of what he was doing, the latter had thrown his arm proteetlngly around her waist. "Walt. Miss Glen." said the general severely, lifting his hand and checking her further speech, "you cannot think to escape scot free. 8uch actions cannot go entirely unpunished. As long as Miss Fanny Glen exists she must suffer for her actions. Tou are agreed with me, gentlemen? "We are. sir." It was remarkable the unanimity with which they all supported their general's decision on so serious a matter and practically without deliberation. "Captain Sempland. as a soldier, I am sure you will acquiesce In the views of yotir brother officers." Sempland bit his Up. Fanny GWi nestled closer to him and looked up at him beseechingly. "Oh, general," he said at Inst. "Isn't there some way out of It?" "There may . be," said the general, sol emnly. "Let me think a moment Sup poseah, suppose. Miss Fanny Glen should disappear?" "But where can I go, sir?" asked the girl, nervously. . "All that I love" she observed a smile flickering upon the gen eral's lips as she glanced at Sempland, "I mean everybody and everything that I love is here." . She stamped her foot im patiently. "Tou won't send me to the union fleet? I know my father is safe and five years with the reserve. After these fifteen years of service the veteran might be supposed to have done his duty to the nation. But there is a still further reserve, which comprises all able bodied Cossacks not Included in tho other forces. The veteran has to Join this body and remain In it until he is enfeebled by age. The men of this last reserve have to supply and maintain at their own expense their horses, arms, clothing and equipment. Thus a highly important addition to the Russian army is kept up at tho cost of the men themselves. - Friends in Need "Y'r honor," said Tuffold Knutt, "I de mand a trial by a Jury of my peers." . "Where will you find them?" asked the Judge, looking at him over his spectacles. "Over yander, y'r honor," replied the prisoner, pointing to group huddled to gether In a far corner of the room, "HI, boys, come "ere." Whereupon Goxlmaa Gonroug, Eaton 15 but I love the south. I will never do any thing wrong again If you won't send ma away!" she pleaded. It was, Indeed, a sweeping promise, una she could scarcely have kept. "There are other ways by which Mlws Fanny Glen might disappear," suld Hoiiure gard, gravely. "How, sir?" "You might change your name again!" "Change my name?" "Yes. You might become-Mrs. Ithett Sempland, let us say!" "O-o-oh!" cried the girl, blushing furi ously and drawing away from her lover's side. "yuite so," answered the general, with deep gravity, too deep not to be suspicious, whllo Sempland's heart leaped with happi ness. This was the meaning of the gen eral's little play, then? "Proceedings which would have to be In stituted against Fanny Glen could then b allowed to drop," continued Beauregard, enjoying the situation immensely. '18 not that a solution, gentlemen?" he asked, throwing back his head and laughing cheerfully at the pleasant ending of the little comedy he had planned, which pleased the small audience hugely. "That Is the happiest of all solutions, sir," said Sempland, taking Fanny Glen's hands. "I won't be married simply to save my t life," said the girl. "Of course not," said the general. "Yet either you must be court-martialed or Mr. Sempland will be." "I I might do It to save his life, sir," she said, blushing furiously again. "However it is done" said Semrlind, "however It may be brought about, It sat isfies me completely." "If 'twere done when 'tis done 'twere well 'twere done quickly," quoted the gen eral with striking appositeness, greatly de- ' lighted at the outcome of the affair. "I agree with you entirely, Mr," returned Sempland smiling It was the part of wis dom for a captain to agree with a general always and the way of prudence was the path of pleasure In this Instance. "Captain Sempland," said Beauregard, "your orders need not be carried out until tomorrow. There will be time enough be fore that time for a wedding. In which. In the absence of her father, I promise my self the pleasure of giving away the brida. Now. gentlemen, we will leave the ah twj culprits to talk it over for a few momenta. Let me know yonr decision. Miss Glen, as soon as may be. that I may decide whether to assemble or dissolve the court. And rest assured the happenings of last night and this morning, so far aa they concern Miss Glen, are not to bo spoken outside this room by anyone. Good morning.", "Fanny Glen." said Sempland. whin they were alone once more, "are you marrying me to save yourself?" She shook her head. "Rhett Sempland, are you marrying me,H she asked In return, "to save yourself?" "I am marrying you, you llltla darling, as you very well know, because I love you." ."And that Is my reason, too," said Fanny Glen. "Fanny Glen," he said Imperiously, "corns here!" And to him she came with astonishing meekness. "Put your arms around my neck!" And obediently she put them! "Lift up your head." Slowly, surely up it came! After all Fanny Glen did love a masterful man! THE END. Jogalong, Ruffon Wrnts. Badltegh Mlldude, Casteur Breddon de Walters, Mosely Mudd. Sameold Storey, Orvllle Bigthurst, Avery Baddun, Sam Leggitt, Chappie Onnliup pers and Greasy Grimes came forward and stood In line before the astonished court. Chicago Tribune. Hello! .AIHooi: Jujl Root f .