The Tomahawk., 1903-04-30
The Sentry Of
CdloocdD
Bv ALEXANDER BOYLE.
Copyright, 1908, by Daily Story Pub. Coz

(COpyrlSht, wv, Oy Dally STORY WV
IT WAS night in the forest Of
| Caloocan. The rain fell with
dreary monotony. Not single star
shone out of the clouded sky to
cast one ray Of cheering light upon
the night.
A sentry in rain-soaked khaki
uniform paced back and forth along
a soggy path of oozy mud just within
the shadow of the trees at the edge
of the Luzon jungle. Each time he
turned at the farther end of his beat
he impatiently looked toward the
spot in the darkness where he knew
the path turned suddenly and led
back toward the American camp.
Several times the sentry drew a
watch from beneath his army coat
and vainly tried to distinguish the
time.
"The relief's late or something,'
he murmured discontentedly to him
self, ''just my luc]l-.Ah, here they
come"
A moment later half dozen black
shadows came plodding through the
darkness and mud. There was e
salute, one of the half dozen new
corners dropped out of the ranks.
the rain-soaked sentry fell into the
empty place and then the little squad
moved into the darkness, leaving the
new sentry alone in the Caloocan
forest with two hours of picket duty
before him.
The tramp of the guard grew dim
in the distance. At last faint shout
away off to the right reached his
ear. 1t was the challenge of the
next sentry as the relief squad
reached him. Then all was silent ex-
cept the moaning wind and the cease
less patter of the rain in the pud-
dies.
The young sentry glanced up at
the black sky that he felt rather than
saw.
"She said she'd come rain or shine,' -
he said happily to himself. ''Too
bad for her to come out on such a
night. But she wished to come. She
even suggested it herself. She knows
the meaning of the word love. Tn
another month the regiment will be
homeward bound and she goes with
me. What. I wonder will father say
when I tell him 1 found my wife in
the beautiful daughter of one of the
Spaniards we came to conquer. When
he sees Arlene, though, he will for
give me-"
I, r~if
appeared in the black canopy that
hung over the forest. "Arlene viii!
not get drenching after all, bless
her." the soldier said aloud. "She is
my queen. All, how I love her, love
her"
care you sure, quite sure, my hand
some Americana" asked voice close
behind him. A girl hooded and veiled
and with a long cloak dropping to
her feet stepped from behind the
trunk of a great tree and running
to the startled sentry, threw her
self into his arms and pressed her
lips to his.
"Arlene,'' he cried. 'My darling.
my love- How you startled me. J
ulu HOG near ,Sou Gully. IttN Ii' IbSo
you were here until you spoke"
He caught her up in his arms and
carried her across the muddy ground
and set her down gently by the tree,
She threw back her hood and veil.
Her unbound hair dropped about her
shoulders.
'You are the most beautiful Of all
women. adored one" he whispered
gently stroking her hair.
The wind swung bough against q
tree trung back of them with sound
like a cracking of twig. The girl
leaped from the soldiers side with
a cry of fright.
ooh" she cried. ''I thought, ]
thought She stopped.
"What?'' he asked, in alarm.
"Oh, I feared someone had dis
covered us. It would ruin me. 7
was foolish she replied, recovering
herself with an effort.
someone in the Caloocan forest
to-night!' he exclaimed. ''You must
be mad. We are safe from observa-
ton here, my love-
ssBut I am afraid. Come back
little farther from the clearing, where
the moon Will not reveal u.s." she
pleaded.
ssNo, I must not leave the picket
line" he protested. 81 should be
there, not here. now"