The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1901-03-07
A FIRING LINE MYSTERY

TyHE Kansas man had served
with Funston in the Philip
pines, had returned safely,


pines, had returned safely,
had been n town hero for n
month or so. and then went on the
stump in the campaign. Several of
the campaign orators met for Sun
day in u Western hotel where their
roads crossed in their journeys to as
signments, and were comparing notes.
The man who had served with Funs-
ton gradually assumed command of
the conversation, and the talk drifted
from discussion of the question why
men rushed to serve in the Philippine
campaign to one OF the problems why
men, in many cases, unexpectedly,
show not only rare bravery nut down
right recklessness in battle. The Kan
sas man, for whom the name Max
we'll will do so far as this article is
concerned, said
"As | was saying, we found men out
there who had been wild, and whose
parents were glad to see them enter
the army; we found men who had
been crossed in love; we found men
who had been failure in life, even If
they were mere youths; we found
many daredeyils, and. curiously
enough, most of them were cautious
on the firing line; we found some who
had pasts that they wanted forgotten;
we found some under assumed names,
for one reason or another; we found
the usual number of bullies, braggarts
and buffers. and being once under
fire was the cure for them. But all
these made up very small number in
comparison with those who had enlist
ed for love of country, with perhaps
a desire for adventure thrown in.
But of all the curious characters /
came across the strangest was n man
named Bond. He was silent us to his
past; he made few friends; there was
glitter in his eye If we were in dan.
ger which was positively magnetic,
and we came gradually to respect his
reserye and to be proud of him. There
was one man In our company, how
rver, whose propensity for nosing into
others affairs was especially marked,
and who, 1t was plain to be seen, was
offensive TO Bond. The name of Pc
ters will do for this inquisitive man.
He was good fellow, and meant moth
ing more than friendly interest when
he was poking around TO find out all
about his companions, and we learned
at last TO overlook his weakness-all
but Bond 1t was evident that Bond
was desirous of curing Peters or of
Furnishing him for his offensive beha-
vior. Bond gradually became reckless
ON the firing line. Any one could see
1t was not assumed, but was genuine,
and this conduct deepened the mys-
terry as to his past and made Peters
the more jealous TO find out all about
him.
"One day Bond fell with wound.
Peters carried him to the rear, cared
for him, stayed By him as long as he
could, did everything that could be
done under the circumstances. like Of
ferlng to write home, and all that sort
of thing. He was apparently sizing
up his chances of living. He was also
thinking whether il was worth while
TO forgive Peters for the past or TO
give him thrust he would never for
get. 1t was about midnight that Pc.
ters returned to his place with lis. and
the next morning he had story to
tell to three of us In whom he con
fided."
Maxwell paused and, just as his
hearers We're becoming uneasy. he said
this was the story Peters had related:
Boys, we've got murderer among
us, not only d murderer, but the worst
kind of one, a man who killed his
father, and who, IL it Were proved
against him, would. up TO this time,
have pretended that 1t was an acci-
dent He's Bond. 1t explains why he
has been so reckless lately; he wanted
to be killed. Matter of conscience. YOU
see. He whispered 1t all to me, asked
me to write home, saying that lie was
dead and h..d passed away forgiying
every one and revealing the secret
His name isn't Bond but I'm under
pledge not to tell what II Is. He asked
ME TO write without waiting for him
to de actually, and he wanted me TO
get him reported dead so that II would
be cabled home; said his friends would
recognize him under the assumed
name. It's mighty sad story.
Bond told me that he came from
ONO. His father was bank presi-
dent and was found murdered In the
pank vault two years ago. Robbers
had killed him md maze their escape.
nc had evidently surprised them.
ioung Bond was tho real murderer.
ne was just under twenty-one. He
huu been stealing from his fathers
private siness for more than year
30 as TO keep on gambling with a fast
set or young fellows whom a sharper
got together regularly and was plum
uerlng right along. On Bonds TWEEN
'y-nrst birthday there had to be set
iem INT of the books, for his father in
'enued TO take him into business nart.
nership. Bond had to have no less
,nah SooUO to make good his stealings.
mere was no other way left to him
.nhn TO steal 1t. II, knew ali about
.ue bank, the combinations to the
1850 the ways Of the watchman and
epat' and he had studied up knock.
out drops. He left som lluuor th,t
nau peen doctored with drugs FOR the
w"'cnman to drink knowing The
mans weakness. aud the rest was
Easy lie entered the bank from the
teaf siealthily, having made suro thai
1uruuulenun