The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1892-07-14

eve got two already. Not that I'm
particular to a bullet or so, only you
might finish the letter first, anyhow.
For God sake, Pearse, discontinued,
studded emotion .conquering his dare
devil cynicism, 'write the letter! It's
for Rose. She won't have a cent in
the world if can't send her the news
| want you to write, and she and the
child will starve. Igot her by q trick,
I know, and q nasty trick, too: but
I'd have done murder to get her. She
| was the one woman l ever cared a
straw for, really. And she loves me,
| too. Shoot Elf you like; but for
! Gods sake write the letter."
Roland bent his head over the scrap
of paper again.
"Go on" he said, hoarsely, and
Vickers went on painting out the
words with an eagerness which proved
the sincerity OF his affection. The
letter had regard to the disposition
| of certain sums OF money for which
| the voucher had been destroyed by fire
during the siege OF Philipville two days
| previously. It was scarcely ended
when bugle sounded from the camp.
"That's the sentinePs recall" said
Roland. II must get in. I'll forward
the letter the first chance get"
He rose. Vickers, with a dumb
agony OF grateful entreaty in his face,
feebly held up his left hand-the right
arm was shattered. After moment s
hesitation Roland bent and took it..
"Here," he said, "take this"
He dropped his flask beside him.
"keep your heart up; perhaps you
amt as bad as you think. I'll see If
can get he p for YOU
Tears started to the wounded
wretch's eyes.
Rose had better have taken you.
guess" he said. Roland turned sharp
ly away.
"I'll be back as quickly as I can"
he said, and plowed his way back in
to camp without, g. single backward
glance. Coming to a large tent, the
only one in the camp, roughly run up
as a temporary hospital, he passed be-
tween two rows Of PROSTATE figures,
sunk in sleep Of exhaustion or tossing
in agony, to where a man in the uni
form OF an army surgeon was bending,
pipe in mouth, over the body OF a pa
tient. II want to speak to you when
you've finished, Ned"
The surgeon nodded without raising
his eyes, completed his task, ran his
blood-stained fingers YEARLY through
his hair and turned to Roland with a.
yawn and q shiver. t..
"That's the last of 'em," he said.
eve been at it since nightfall, and
Pm dead beat. Cut it short, old man:
we start in an hour, and I mean to
get q wink Of sleep" -a 81
"I'm afraid you'll have to do with
out it," said Roland. sEDo you re.
member Jim Vickers," repeated the
surgeon, ooh, yes! The man who
married Rose Bishop" -.
Roland WINGED and nodded.
"He's out there, shot in the arm
and leg. Says he's dying. He didn't
know me, and asked me to write a
word for him to Rose-to his wife. I
| want you to come and have a look at
| him." ~. 5s% SIS 80
The surgeon shrugged, with half
yawn. ~ -......0 ..-.....
"He.s a reb, I suppose? Haven
seen him in our crowd
EYES," said Roland, "but one man
is pretty much the same to you as
another, reckon, and-you know
Rose. You might save him"
"Ned shrugged again, tossed some
lint and other necessaries into bag
On the table, and they set out TO-
gether. They found Vickers asleep,
with the empty whisky flask lying on
the snow beside him.
There was a ruined shed at hun
bred yards distance, to which they
carried the wounded man, who woke
| and groaned as he was raised. Arriv-
ed under shelter, Ned silently betook
himself to examining Vickers' wounds.
Arm and leg were both shattered, and
three OF his ribs were broken by a
horses hoof. Roland watched his
friends face, but it wore the aspect OF
! even gravity common to the faces OF
men OF his profession engaged at their
work, and nothing was to be learned
from it. His task finished, he patted
his patients shoulder, collected his
tools and left the shed. Roland fol-
lowed him to the door.
'What do you think? Can he pull
through"
"He would with proper nursing and
good food; not without
"Can we take him with us?"
''No the Colonel wouldn't hear OF it.
We have to join Meade at Peters
burg in two days and we can't afford
to be bothered with lame prisoner
Leave him some biscuit and a bottle
OF whiskey, and let him take mis-
chance. We've done all we could.
II can't leave him. said Rol
and.
you've got mighty fond OF him, all
OF a sudden" said Ned, with some
thing OF a sneer.
I'm as fond of him as always
vas" answered Roland. .'It's
Rose"
"Well," said the other, after mo
ment's silence, and with the air hi
might have worn had he found him
self forced to apply the knife to thu
flesh OF his own child, eff you want
my opinion, you shall have it. You'll
do long sight better business if yo,
let the fellow die. And, besides, yo,
can't save him. He'd take month.
to heal up in hospital, with every car
and attention"
II might take it," said Rol