The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1891-07-04
THE SENTRY.

NV nv 0Al1A HA0tAAk ~ ~
L.atapie. as sentry. on an eminence,
under shelter OF a cottage, which had
beer half demolished by grape-shot.
Night was coming on, and In the
deepening gloom the young soldier
looked half fearfully at the wintry
landscape; each object was IA huge,
weird silhouette, which his simple
peasant fancy transformed into a fan
tastic specter. and he tremblingly re-
calling the ghostly legends heard OF in
his childhood, the women crossing
themselves. the men shuddering and
all drawing nearer the glowing hearth,
while the wind howlcd m~ournfully.
The sentry claspcd his muskct firm
Is. and stood m~otionless. p~aralyzed
with vague terror. and almost numb
with cold. His thoughts were SO busy
with the memory OF his home, and OF
days which seemed, after all his bat
fling and hardships, TO be long passed
away that he half forgot his duty OF
keaning watch.
4 Suddenly a moaning sound rose In
the darkness neal him. Startled from
his r%evcrie, Claude shook himself,
cooked his gun and peered about him
anxiously. with eye and ear, and every
muscle on the alert, remembering that
his comrades were asleep. and that
they trusted him 90 awaken them in
case OF danger. The means continued
with a sound OF %strangling like "a
death-rattle, then a faint hoarse cry
Of agony arose from the ruined walls
OF the house. Claude peered in at the
doorway, struck n match. and saw
lying In a corner OF rubbish, and held
down by fragments Of the shattered
roof. the dark outline OF a human form.
a bit OF candle end CHANGED 20 be lying
near. and Claude lighted this and crept
softly toward the corner; in the dim
light he discovered a soldier, one OF
Tic enemy, who had evidently been
struck down by the falling joists, for a
beam lay across his chest.
"Let him die, he muttered; but a
choking voice exclaimed im~ploringly;
DRINK
You want u drink Very likelyln
rctor,ed the young trooper. laying his
hand on the canteen which. before his
pace as sentry. he had filed with
warm coffee, generously seasoned with
brandy. Very proper for me to warm
an cnemy's stomach at the expense Of
q Frcnchman's!N
He laughed s%neeringly, and as II i'm
defiance OF the wounded mans ~ontreaty.
opeIcd the canteen and put 1t 20 his
own lips. But the first drop seemed TO
choke him; after all. this wretched
German was a fellow-man! Claude
leaned his gun against the wall. stopped
over the sufferer, lifted Oft the heavy
beam, and then knceling down, held
the canteen over the gasping mouth.
The other man raised his hands eagerly
20 grasp the treasure.
None OF that, cried Claude, ''put
down your paws or not n drop shall
YOU have. The creature thinks | would
be willing 10 drink after his berry
lipsli
The wounded man understood. for
he had lived In France before the war.
and made "A movement ms IL 10 turn
away from the look OF disgust which
accompanied Claudo's words, but his
fcverish thirst made him change his
mind. lie opened his mouth, and the
other man poured into II a stream OF
warm coffee from the canteen. then.
standing mp tossed OF n bumper as his
own share. and rushed out Of the cabin
in sudden terror at the thought OF hav-
ing deserted his post.
THAT was a hard tug said Claude.
between HIS teeth.
At the end OF half an hour. partly
for the purpose of learning how the
wounded man was getting on. and
partly to shield himself from the cut
ting wind which dashed his face. the
young sentry again entered the cottage.
The young German. still tortured
with fever. stretched out his hand for
the canteen. and filled with pity,
Claude Latapie forgot his former re-
%pungnance, hurriedly detached the
gourd from his belt and handed IL TO
the sufferer. As he went out again
four armed men stood before him, and
before he had time 20 give tho alarm
he was disarmed and n prisoner.
Sounds Of hushed footsteps. rendered
almost inaudible by the deep snow.
now approached, and n body OF men
came TO a halt Their captain, n Ba-
varian, ordered the prisoner into the
house and questioned him in French,
but Claude made no reply.
Answer me. rascal. " said the officer.
after n pause, ''or your lips will be
opened by a bayonet through your
body. Where Is the main guard sta
tionedP" The young soldier was ST.
lent.