Charlevoix county herald. (East Jordan, Mich.) 189?-1953, 1913-06-28
SONG in THE NIGHT
BY JAS. WILLIAM JACKSON.

| sho "uu vi tuc Buiiy. EVERY man Oh
the squad was wearied to the limit of
endurance, and the leader was bur.
dened with a terrible responsibility.
The enemy was close at hand and abb
solute silence imperative. The colonel,
a few hours before, had detailed this
little force to cut out a detachment of
the enemy.
For hours they had plowed through
the mud. eager for the encounter Be.
fore darkness fell the discovery was
made that the enemy numbered four
times as many men as supposed. II
would be madness to hope for more
than drawn battle, the lieutenant re-.
fected; and yet-the colonel had Civ.
en- his orders. At daylight the com.
mander would march on the assump-
ton that the work was done.
Il can't go back and say I was
afraid" the boy told himself; "but 1t
would be murder to charge with this
little band. II had to think only Of
myself"
There was another hour before he
need act.
And l wonder" he thought, in a
Iistless way, Il wonder where she is
tonight?"
A few hundred yards behind the gul.
ly doomed up an old mansion. AS the
men now lay I'm silence, save for the
dreary, patteriDg preudIe Of the rain
and the slushing of mud as one
changed his position slightly, light
shone out across the wet field from a
window OF the house. A moment later
the distant, sweet tones OF piano
were audible. The lieutenant heard the
opening chords with a sense Of their
familiarity
Some one began Is song The words
were not distant; not even the music
was sharply defined at that distance.
But AS the song proceeded, coming out
into the night with mystic sweet.
ness and power, the lieutenant rsmem-
bered it's mesmeric harmony.
Granton called to mind certs5a day
before his uniform grew ragged. The
settings OF the song then had been a
fine Old room, a glorious woman, a
fascinating voice. II vas not song
that hills; it thrilled and lifted-high
and higher it exalted. until the iInpos.
sible seemed easy 10 grasp.
AS tzs song proceeded the ieygten-
ant feiR the full strength of it's qzick-
ening, impulse; and gradually he put
away 5rOm himself the weak and I'M
nerving dependency. Almost before
the lasc note died away on the might
he had the squad afoot confident that
his OWN spiritual intogication was
shared in some measure by his foilow-
erS.
Just beyond the woods a faint midi
cation OF sentry was Escerned IN
half defined shadow.
The little band, deploYing, eame out
OF tfps deeper shadows IN long line,
rangsd against the whole face a, the
opposing force.
Al that instant just one thrilling
Charge" was ordered. 1t came from
the lieutenant, and it was keyed in
the sharp. enthralling harmony az the
song
1t vas over soon. TIE charge itself
became wild pursuit. The lieutenant
still led the way u1til-the sword
headlong into the SUIT mud and lay
stfll, while his men hurried on.
II was hours after. and another day.
when the lieutenants eyes opened
with intelligence. For a few minutes
his glance ranged about a sunny room
in a questioning way. From the couch
where he lay he could see but part of
himself quiet figure came quickly
to his side. Then his eyes looked
straight up into those of woman.
| There came another wondering ques-
ton into his glance and a great, glad
establishment to find her there. But
! his lips formed different query.
"The fight?" he asked, weakly, and
with the brevity of spent strength.
"Your colonel is here" she said,
with smile, as she drew little near
er, "and he bids me say that this day
surely makes you captain and a
hero"
And the men-my mem" he
begged.
1.-TWO wounded-and yourself; moth
! ing worse" che replied, softly.
1T was the song we heard in the
rain and the night" he told her, in 8
whisper.
Last night, 1t thrilled me to con.
quer an army, il need be; and now 1t
makes me bold for myself. Last night
| cursed the fates that took me from
you before could tell you how cared
for you. | would have lost that fight
heaven forgive me! / would have
murdered my men in my weakness
and homesick longing. 1t was your
song, that wonderful song, which gave
me strength; and it gives me courage
now to brave your verdict-to tell you
that love you better than anything In
all this world. Are you glad? Say
you are"
II am glad" she murmured, with a
world OF earnestness. "The song was
all for you. was thinking OF you