Fitzgerald enterprise. (Fitzgerald, Ga.) 1895-1912, 1902-10-03
UNDER
TWO FLAGS
BY "OUlDA."
g '.,.sDt lCONTINUFD.
By "OUIDA."

vanquished 1T. She smiled up in his
eyes, needless of the tumult round
them.
"You will be happy. That is well.
Look you, it is nothing that ! did.
would have done it for any one of my
soldiers. And for this She touched
the blood flowing from her side with
the old bright, brave smile. 1T was
an accident. They must not grieve for
1t. My men are good to me. They will
feel such regret and remorse, but do
not let them. l am glad to die. If the
shots had not come to me, they would
have gone to him, and he has been un-
happy SO long and borne wrong SO pa
tiently he has earned the right to live
and enjoy. Now, IL have been happy
all my days, like q bird, like kitten,
like foal, just from being young and
taking no thought. l should have had
to suffer if l had to live. 1t is much
best as it Isl
Her voice failed her when she had
spoken the heroic words. Loss Of blood
was fast draining all strength from
her, and she quivered in a torture she
could not wholly conceal. He for whom
she persisted hung over her in an agony
greater far than hers 1t seemed a
hideous dream to him that this child
lay dying in his stead.
Can nothing save her?" he cried
aloud. 20 God, that you had fired one
moment soonerv'
She heard and looked up at him with
a look in which all the passionate,
hopeless, imperishable love she had re-
sisted and concealed so long spoke
With an intensity she never dreamed.
"She is content" she whispered soft
ly. 'You did not understand her right
ly; that was ALL"
GAIL! o God, how l have wronged
you! My darling! Ny darling! What
have l done to be worthy of such
love? he murmured, while the tears
fell from his blinded eyes and his head
dropped until his lips met hers. At
the first utterance of that word be-
tween them, at the unconscious tender
ness of his kisses that had the anguish
of a farewell in them, the color sud-
denly flushed all over her blanched
face. She trembled in his arms, and
great shivering sigh ran through her.
1t came too late, this warmth of love.
Hush" she answered, with a look
that pierced his SOUL keep those
kisses for miladi. She will have the
right to love you. She is of your arts
tocracy she is not 'unsexed.' AS for
me, am only little trooper, who has
saved my comrade! My soldiers, come
round me one instant. l shall not long
find words
Her eyes closed as she spoke. A
deadly faintness and coldness passed
over her, and she gasped for breath.
A moment, and the resolute cour-
age in her conquered. Her eyes OPEN
ed and rested on the war worn faces of
her "children"-rested in a long lost
look of unspeakable usefulness and
tenderness.
Il cannot speak as l would" she said
at length, while her voice grew very
faint. "But I have loved you. All is
saidv
All was uttered in those four brief
words. She had loved them.
She stretched her arms out with a
gesture of infinite longing, like a lost
child that vainly seeks it's mother.
IF could only see France once
more! France
1t was the last word upon her utter
ance. Her eyes met Cecil's in one fleet
Ing upward glance of unutterable ten
derneSs; then with her hands still
stretched out westward to where her
country was and with the dauntless
heroism Of her smile upon her face
like light she gave tired sigh as of a
child that sinks to sleep, and in the
midst of her army of Africa the little
one lay dead
In the shadow of his tent at midnight
he whom she had rescued stood look
Ing down at bowed, stricken form be-
fore him with an exceeding yeafning
pity in his gaze.
The words had at length been spoken
that had lifted from him the burden Of
another's guilt; the hour at last had
come in which his eyes had met the
eyes of his friend without hidden
thought between them. The sacrifice
was ended, the martyrdom was over.
And in this hour of release the stron.
gest feeling in him was the sadness
OF an infinite compassion, and where
his brother was stretched PROSTATE in
shame before him Cecil stopped and
raised him tenderly.
Say no more" he murmured. at
has been we'll for me that have suf-
fered these things. For yourself, if
you do indeed repent and feel that you
owe me any debt, atone for it and pay
II by letting your own life be strong In
truth and fair in honor"
CHAPTER XIV.
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