The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1901-05-17
ADeSerter's F ate

ship did not suffer. Rivalry rather
| than jealousy was the keynote Of their
relations.
"Guy," said the lieutenant one day,
| forgetting rank in a burst of conf
dence: 81 can't get away from those
black eyes. They follow me every
where; they are in everything I see;
but some way, 1 doubt her sincerity.
fear she is trying to inveigle us to
| join the insurgent cause"
Private Chadwick said nothing. He
prayed for call to the field to sever
this attachment. His hopes were real
| ized-but partially. The Ninth was or
dered to join in the chase Of the insus
gents, but the activity failed to restore
to Lieutenant Butterworth his equilib-
rum of mind. Military duties now pre-
Guided further intercourse between the
two friends. In the excitement Of bat
tie Private Chadwick gave the black
eyed Nina but q small place in his
thoughts.
Private Chadwick lounged carelessly
In front of his tent, admiring the beau
ties of the setting sun, which painted
the horizon with glory. He was think
ing of Manila and, for the first time
since he had taken the field, Of the
| bright eyed Nina. He wondered if
Butterworth had forgotten her. 1t
was pleasant to recall those happy
days.
"S-s-s-s-tY'
The sound interrupted his reverie. A
| dirty, ragged individual stepped from
behind the tent. Looking cautiously to
| the right and left he slipped grimy
bit of paper into Chadwick's hand.
Guy hastily tore open the note. He
read:
| My Dear American Soldier-Prove to me that
| you love me. Join US tonight. Papa will make
| you big officer. NINA.
A pang went to his heart. A smol-
dering fire famed up. In spite of this
evidence of her insincerity, Guy now
realized that his feeling for her was
more than mere interest in the girl
He was Disguised to discover his
weakness.
| "Get out of herep' he said in harsh
voice. $50 tell the one who sent you
that my flag is dearer to me than all
the world, and before leave it will
die. Coz
| The effort cost him pain. He crawl
ed back to his tent a miserable man.
The sun had set.
private Chadwick's SICK" comment
ed his comrades.
| Ono nor, vry;tb Az. ,,o1,e +o
Butterworth's tent. 1t was empty.
"The lieutenant went off with q
dirty looking beggar," said the guard.
zone of his charities, l guess. Said
he'd be back before long"
Private Chadwick knew otherwise.
He was torn one way by jealousy to-
ward his erstwhile friend another way
by anger at the girl who had played
him false. He worked himself into a
fever. His comrades attributed it to
sorrow for his lost friend, for, after a
fruitless search, it was said that Lieu
tenant Butterworth had been trapped
into an ambuscade.
In the gray dawn of morning Private
Chadwick paced slowly up and down,
with his gun on his shoulder, doing
sentry duty. He was still weak from
the fever. A rustic, as of some one
moving, caught his attention.
''Who goes there"
His challenge went unanswered. He
espied a form disappearing into a
clump of bushes.
"Bangw He fired, but into the air.
The corporal Of the guard came run
ming down the line. He received the
sentry's report, "Marauding party of
DEVILS" But Guy did not tell of all he
saw. In the disappearing form he had
recognized his deserter friend.
With hasty formation Company b
was sent forward. Keeping under COW
err of the trees, they halted on the edge
of a clearing Not more than a thou
sand yards away 900 Filipinos, under
the leadership of a young officer in the
uniform of the United States army
were stealthily advancing.
Careful men. Don't fire. Wait for
ORDERS" cautioned the officers.
Without warning and disregarding
the orders of his superiors, Private
Chadwick leaped suddenly forward
into the open, knelt, took careful aim
and fired. The leader Of the insurgents
fell, killed by the bullet of his one time
friend. AS the shot rang out and Lieu
tenant Butterworth fell, for it was he,
small figure darted from the now
wavering lines Of Filipinos with cry:
Cecil, my American soldierr
"Nina" shouted Guy.
The American lines deployed, and
now volley carried death into the op-
posing force. The battle ragged back
and forth. Scattering were the shots
which returned the regular fire of the
boys in blue. The insurgents became
disorganized. Their retreat became a
rout.
The battle was over. The soldiers re-
turned VIGOROUSLY rejoicing. AS they
picked their way over the spot of the
first encounter they came upon a sad
scene. In the midst of the dead and
dying lay the lifeless body of a pretty
black eyed Filipino girl, beside the dead
deserter lieutenant, and there, with his
head buried in his arms and weeping
like child, was Private Chadwick.
He mourned the loss of friend and