The Washington herald., 1913-04-20

! temptation OF his life. Spruce haf
known few temptations: at least, he had
recognized few. His morality was thu
| lenient, roushshewn article which salts
| fies q soldiers conscience. He had M
| squeamishness about the sins OUTSIDE
his limited category; he fell into then
blithely and had not remorse when HI
remembered them. wherefore he pre-
served a certain homogeneous Innocence
even In his vices. as has happened II
many a man before. 1t il. perhaps. thu
| moral natures own defense; and keeps
| untouched and ever fresh little nook'
| and corners Of sinners soul. int
which the conscience may retreat ant
| from which sometimes she sallies fortf
| to conquer the abandoned territory
What Spruce called his duty he hat
| done cutie as a matter OF course. He
had not wavered any more than he wav'
cred when the war bonnets were swoop
ing down on his old captains crumpied'
up form. But this-this was different
| The boys needed him. But II he stayed
| with the boys, there was the regiment
and the company and the captain anc
the chance to distinguish himself and
march back in glory to his town.
.I guess most folks would say ia
ought to follow the colors," he thought'
| raw fellers like them, they need q
steady, old hand Well. they've go'
Bates Dates was an old Regular. al
so. of less enterprisng genius than
Spruce, but an admirable soldier) II
s'pose," grudgingly, that Bates would
keep 'em steady. And captain can fight
and the colonel was West Point man,
though he's been out of the army ten
years, fooIing with the milish. 1 guess
they don't need me so awful bad this
week: and these ere boys-Oh. damn
il ALL, He walked out of the tent. There
was a little group about wagon, at
which he frowned and sighed Poor
MAXWELL he said. Then he tossed his
head and stamped his foot. "Oh, damn
IL ALI" said he again, between his
teeth.
But his face and manner were oacK
on their old level OF good cheer when
he bent over Danvers, half an hour later.
Say! Dickv'
Yes Chris. You come to say good
by. Well. it's good luck ta you and
God bless you from every boy here; and
we know what you've done for us, and
we won't forget IT; and we'll all hurry
up to get we'll and join YOU" Danvers'
voice was steady enough now and pa
thetic effort at a cheer came from all
the cots.
Spruce lifted his fist and shook 1t Sc
yerely You shut up, All of you. You'll
raise your temparture! L amt going.
neither. Be quiet. It's all settled. I've
seen captain, and he wants me to stay
and see you boys through; all the G.
boys Then we're all going together.
tell you, keep quiet"
Dick Danvers was keeping quiet
enough. for one: he was wiping away
the tears that rolled down his cheeks
The others in general shared his re-
lief in greater or less measure: but they
were too ill to think much about any
thing except themselves. In some way,
however, every one in the tent showed
TO Spruce that he felt that sacrifice
had been made.
Il know you hated it like the devil,
and Just stayed for fear some Of your
precious chickens would come to mischief
IL they got from under, your wings. you
old hen"' was Dicks tribute, "and / know
why you went into town yesterday when
the boys went off. 1t is rough, Chris,
and that's the truth
"Oh, it's only putting things off bit:
the captain told me so himself" said
Spruce, very light and airy. But his
heart was sore. The G boys understood.
He wasn't so sure that all the others did
He caught his name on one
gossiping groups lips. and was conscious
that they gazed after him curiously
wv Wonder il I'm scared that 1 stayed
home, I guess" he muttered. being a SEN
sitive fellow, like all vain men. Il wish
they'd see the things I've been in, Damn
en-
The men really were discussing his va
rious Indian experiences and admiring him
in their toyish hearts. But he was I'M
luckily out of earshot. Unluckily, also,
he was not out OF earshot when a lieu-
tenant Of another regiment, who had had