Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1900-01-20
MOTIVES.

After the first days fighting at San.
tiago two men, lying side by side, tried
vainly to sleep. The nightmare of the
struggle still left its impress on them.
A twitching Of the lips or a nervous
starting Of a limb showed the after
effects Of the strain. They were volun.
teers, who had picked each other out
for the stanch, all trusting friendship
that comes to men who are exposed to
danger and hardship.
The heat Of war sends all the small
conventions of life up into thin smoke.
Where death and blood surround on
every side and the hum of bullets and
the shrek Of shell whisper a warning
that the next to 60 may be oneself
the man is reduced to elementary prin-
ciples. David cleaves to Jonathan with
mis- whole soul and asks no reason why.
So it was with these two. Their
hearts spoke directly to each other.
The black Cuban night formed a ft-
ting surrounding for condolences. A
man liked to reach out a hand and find
that a friend was near. 1t was SO dark,
60 empty of God and hope, such a fit
ting prelude to the frowning morrow!
At last the younger broke the silence.
"By gosh, Billy, you showed up
we'll today" said he. "You went up
that hill like a man who wasn't afraid
to live or die. tell you I was proud Of
you"
"Shucksr' answered the other.
"You did the same"
"Yes, I know, but my reason wasn't
quite the same, I'm afraid. To tell you
the plain truth, old man, I only came
into this business to get my name up.
/ wouldn't give you 8 cents a hundred
for Cubans, let alone my life. I want
ed, be went on in a shamefaced way.
Ito have the girls point me out when I
got home-you know, Amt he a hero?'
and that kind of thing. 'Tain't very
noble, isa it? I don't suppose you'll
think much OF me after that, but some
how I felt l had to tell it"
The elder man smiled into the dark
ness-an exceeding bitter and mirthless
smile.
"What do you suppose I came down
here for?' he asked.
II don't suppose anything about it
I know" answered the other stoutly.
"Haven't I been with you every day
since you f1s,ed me out Of the surf
And you've never kicked nor grumbled,
no matter what came up. You're here
because you believe in it, and you need
not say anything different just to COM
fort me-"
"Listen," said the other, laying q
hand On his arm and bringing his
mouth close to the lads ear. "I'm 60
ing to tell you something, Kid-some.
thing I certainly never expected to tell
anybody. But I may get it tomorrow,
and I feel that I must speak. Don't say
a word until I've finished and then see
If you want to take my hand.
my boy, I came down here to kill q
in our regiment"
He felt the start the other gave, but
went on without a change Of voice. "I'd
been watching my chance for a month;
then I heard that he enlisted, and I
Joined. Now, the first time be gets near
me and nobody's looking I'm going to
shoot him through the heart-right-
GOOD Godl' said the other. "Good
God Almighty"
''It's the truth" continued the elder
in the same quiet voice. IT picked the
scoundrel out Of the gutter and tried to
make q man of him-took him right
into my home, and that was the worst
job I W did, for it didn't stay |
my home long. My wife-my wife,
well, I had no wife after that. I don't
know what to think. She seemed a good |
true a wife as a man v er had
before-for years-but-well, Kid, the |
reason I charged up the hill today was !
to show myself that I wouldn't be
to meet him face to face. I'd
have killed him openly before, but that
would have brought the whole story
out, and the buns on the CORNER at
home could laugh and joke about
about my wife,"
The silence fell black around them. |
At last the younger spoke.
"I'm only a kid, Bill, and I don't
quite understand these things. I don't
know anything about them, but I do
know that you'rea square a It seems
awful to me. but there's my hand just
the same"
The other CROPPED for it and squeezed
it heartily. A tingling came to his eyes.
The boys sympathy was very sweet to
bis sore heart.
II have always been q square man,
and this job goes against me-" he went
on. II wish there was some other way
out Of It,"
20 Lord, 10 do II" groaned the boy.
there anything, Billf"
"Nothing. I suppose If we both get
back 1t will be the same old misery all
over again. I suppose il I could talk
about 1t to-to-my wife-perhaps II
might make some difference-but
speak. The words stick in my
Perhaps he'll get killed."
"Not on your life. His sort never do
No, mol There's nothing for IL but for
me Ia take the law In my own hands.
Good night, Kidl I'm going TO Sleep"
The next day Bill wal struck ON the
head by . piece Of shell in the early
part Of the engagement.
A man who had hitherto kept care