The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1895-01-19
both looked tho German full in tho iacc

tain Of thrOo loura moro lilo aud hope
lake them away"
They woro removed, atill bound, to n
tent dimly lighted by an oil lamp tina,
swung from tho ccntor aud thoro left,
with guards outside, 10 their own
thoughts.
Each oil tho two prisoners, gazing al
each othcrl reaIized that his comrades
death molnt life to himself. Then Mon.
ccour, with difficulty, drew an envelope
from his broast, and turning his back to
tho light began to poruso i,s contents.
Trevor Dorriman Watched him an
Grily. What right, no thought to him.
soil. huo this boy to tho same chance OF
lifo as ! hayoP What has no done?
Has no been through ne much, has no
helped the world on n, much rs | have ?
llns ho holpod to mako FREQ Italy, to
sover tho bondage aud raiso TO man.
hoods Lowell millions OF oppressed and
onslavcl fellow creatures? | have done
all this, yot l must take tho Same chance
rs he.
Derriman gazed at tho Ind, still inteut
on tho letter, with furious resentment
In his heart and n sheer oil his lips. The
young fool, no told himself bitterly, i'm
| AGNES himself in love aud reads tho lot :
ter to solaco himself. Tho fool! Did
ho not know, young rs ho was, that all
women wcro liars, wero false, were
inorconary. were utterly hoartloss and
selfish? Even Marie, who should have
been tho best, tho truest. the bravcst,
even she, oven shu-ah-God bless her !!
God bless horl
Tho tears, stirred up from thoir hid.
don depths by tho image OF tho woman
no had loved, mounted 10 tho cyes OF
the rough soldier, and no looked with
an altered feeling at his companion.
The lad, tired out by tho events and
tatigues OF the last few hours, had fallen
asleep, with q letter and photograph
still grasped loosely in his hand.
As Trevor Dorriman gazed at him it
seemed Us ii no had lived that moment
over somewhere before, and his heart
yearned toward his fellow prisoner ma
the heart OF u childless man OF middle
age sometimes goes out to young man
OF twenty. II Marie aud no had mar.
ricd, no thought, they might have had
son Just like this boy. How no
would have loved that son, have train.
cd him up. have taught him, have
guided him tho right wav, till his mind
was as steady, his limbs as supple, his
heart rs true no this lads must be!
Derrlman rose, and advancing toward
Moncour took up the letter and photo.
graph that had now dropped from the
sleeper's nerveless hand. lie looked at
tho picture first.
Marie's! Hersl IIe should have
known. though, at time like this, with
death perhaps within two hours march,
men are surprised ut nothing. Nowon.
dor. too, that the lads face had haunted
him. 1t was Marie's again. The face
in tho portrait showed burrows and lines
OF care and trouble. but it was still the
sweet face he had loved.
lie looked at tho letter. II was full
OF love and affection, coujuring her only
child TO do his duty to his country, com
mending him TO the mercy OF God and
tho protection OF the Blessed Virgin,
telling him that no was the only Joy and
comfort and the light OF her life, and
that abe prayed night and day that he
might be restored TO her.
The elder man. his purposelcss, irroso.
lute plans changed now, kissed the por-
trait and letter before he replaced them,
and then bent over gently and put his
lips tenderly to the forehead OF the still
sleeping lad.
At daybrcal; file OF men halted out
side the tent, and an officer entered and
beckoned the two prisoners. They
drew themselves up erect and strode
away into the presence Of the general.
The bearded German smiled as they
entered and selected from the heap OF
chessmen before him the two bishops,
which no placed in helmet He then
undid the lining and arranged it in such
manner as to cover the whole OF the
inside and conceal the two pieces.
"The black bishop gives death, tho
white life. You." he turned to Derri.
man. 'as the elder and senior officer,
nave the privilege OF drawing first.
Pray do So"
Dcrriman plunged his hand into the
helmet, gazing steadfastly into the eyes
OF the German. Then no suddenly
withdrew it aud looked at the piece it
held.
"Sapriss" he cried fercely, clinching
the piece tightly in his hand, ait is
DEATH"
The German placed the hollnos, with
tho inner part still covered and tho
other piece still in it, on the table.
Monsieur" no said, "it is tho fortune
Of war. Your comrade will be duly cx-
changed or sent to Berlin. Sergeant,
you have your orders"
Tho two prisoners were led out into
the air again, and Moncour spohe.
Captain" he said, "goodby. God
bless you. Is there any message can
give to any dear ono?"
II have mono, my brave boy. Tell your
mother that YOU met me. l knew her-
once"
The two men grasp ped hands, and then
Moncour was torn roughly away and
Trevor Dorriman left standing, his LEI.
hand clinched, his right hanging by his
side, face TO face vita his death.
1t soon came. Tho word OF command
rang out sharply in the cold morning
mir: Ready! Present! Fire" Cap
tain Dcrr,man, the bold, the brave. tho
gesolutc. tho ucrcilui, lay dead. with his
CLASSY cpes turned toward tho plying
heaven, whittier his soul had flown.
Moncour advanced to pay his last re-
specta to his comrado. and as he kncit
BY his side tho loft hand. hitherto
clinched, uuioded slowly as tho rieor OF
death took possession oil tho body. Mon
cour DInt over TO loo!; ut the symbol OF
death.
The piece that lay in the cold, motion
cas- hand was the white bishop.
~ y. L. Rlcr, Mendoza, Ill. writo,.