Omaha daily bee., 1903-05-10
n Better WAY
short story by william Macleod Rsine

Copyright, 1893, by William Macleod
Raine)
Il give you your cnoIce,' said the Hes
sian ofhcer brusqIsIy. Either you take
oath never to marry the France girl or else
you hang tomorrow. Faltn lis small
choice you have, but the decision should be
ali the easier made
The American major shrugged his shoul-
dsrs placidly. There are worse things
than to be hanged
Worse things than to be hanged for a
spyy'
Yes
The other laughed harshly. Possibly.
It Is a matter Of taste, l suppose. Not
many worse things, one might hope
Many. For one thing. to pledge myself
to what you ask we're worse
POUNDS. man! You take II the wrong
way. Dead you cannot marry her. That
IL true. Whether you give way now and
save your life or play the obstinate fool
and lose It, the girl Is not for you. IT'S all
one"
Pardon me, sir. l do not think tbs all
one. To be sure / cannot marry the lady
In either case, but II l choose death l shall
still have her respect-and my own
The relocated ofhcer stopped in his walk
70 look down on the American with a sheer
on his handsome face.
well. major, every man 10 his own taste.
For me. I prefer to believe in a world
where there are horses, wine and women,
but all men are not made alike"
"I thank God for that" returned the
other quickly with a flicker of steel in his
gray eyes.
The Dutchman flushed at the home thrust.
81 see. You are one Of those fools who
think II better to be divorced from life
than from honor. The greater BOBBY you!
What is honor but a name? Will II
bring the breath of life into your body
after they hang you in the orchard tomor-
row morning? Himmel, no! IT'S naught
but a man-made convention to be abided
by when the wind blows fair-not other
wise"
"'Tis a thing a man may carry with him
into the next world along with a good
conscience" answered the other evenly.
Hamburg paced up and down the cell
with furrowed brow. He wanted to rid
him self Of his rival, but he preferred tC
accomplish his end without sacrificing the
life Of the American. The Hesslan captain
held in his hands the proofs that Majol
Arundel was not a spy. He knew the Vir
ginian had ventured through the British
lines only because the report had reached
mn NhhN n AaAAC wac ugAhb AAO
wounds received in g runaway accident
and that he, Fritz Hamburg, had 1t in hi
power to make this clear to the command
ing general. The captain was. not heartlesi
by any means, but he was INSCRIPTIONS
and he meant to make this stubborn colo
NAL step aside in the race for the hand o
Catherine Franc
Man y'are a fool. Tomorrow you ma,
..-NNr - - a
warm sunshine. II for once you yield on
point of honor, as you call It, none nee
ever know"
II shall know"
well, and II you do? A man must ben,
to the wind when It blows against hin
overland. There come times when 1t wer
the worst OF folly to stand hard and fas
on the narrow line OF conduct which a
other times rules him. When life an,
death are in the balance nice points o
honor must go by the board"
Arundel smiled. Must they?'
tt Hessian turned on him a face har
as iron. They must, or you must hang,
he returned brutally.
(which brings US back to the point fror
which we originally started. We mus
agree to disagree. I fear"
Then you will die a fool"
." believe you mentioned that before.
retorted the American quietly. II have n
answer for It, except that I had rather al
a fool thar live a knave. May 1 ofer 20
a glass of wine before you leave? Genera
Howe has kindly supplied me with enoug
to last me till I shall no longer need an,
No? The saying is current in our arm
That a Hessian is always thirsty. I sha
brand II a lbel-or rather 1 should II
were going TO rejoin the army" he nnishe
with his easy, rather wistfuI smile.
Humburg did not rise TO the occasion
His instinct told him that this colonial OF
hcer who was to be hanged on the MORO,
was OF the stun out Of which gentleme
are made, and that he himself was fash
Toned OF a different warp and woof. HI
rage cropped out and mastered him.
Bonner! Your blood be on your ov
mead" ne cried. II have given you you
chance; If you are gawk to let It slip Fri
Hamburg is not to blame"
so that you will now be able to slice
with an unrufied conscience. I have ha
ny chance; / reject f.; one cannot expeC
moro OF YOU" swered the major with
gentle bitter irony. dor Quixote himse
could do no more. I have made my bee
tomorrow I lie in It. II 1t be somewhs
0vcrnarrow for comfort are you to blame
The Hessian laughed. and in the SCUM
vas something sinister and cruel.
IT pleases you TO make sport Of m
Major Arundel Very well. 1 advise .yo
laugh while you can. for by Himmell tn