Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1914-09-09
KILL ING HIS
MAN
By M. QUAD
Copyright, 1914. by Associated Lit
erary Press.

armies were in winter quarters, with
miles OF neutral ground between. and
except for little skirm1shing along
the front there was rest for half mil
lion men.
Have you ever killed a manr
OF sudden, as he lay doing on his
bed in camp one day, Private Hollins
asked this question Of himself. When
the war was over and. be returned
home he would be asked the question.
His friends and neighbors wouldn't be
satisfied with his record Of battles, but
would sweep it aside and say:
Eyes. we know you were in five or
six battles and that you fred hundreds
Of bullets at the enemy, but can you
truthfully cay you ever brought man
down?"
He couldn't say it, and he felt that
he would lose caste. This feeling
brought a sudden resolve. 1t was a
resolve that startled him at first, but
the more he thought Of it the more de-
termined he was to carry it out. He
would kill a man. He would do it next
time he went on picket.
This is your post, Hollins." said the
corporal as he left him one afternoon
at the edge of wood under a large
oak. I'VE don't know exactly where
the enemy's picket is, but it's some
where around that log house"
To-day | shall kill man." said Pri-
vate Hollins as he was left alone, and
he began his preparations at once At
long rifle shot away across an old cot
ton field was long house with few
fruit trees standing about it. One
might be sure the farmer was off to
| war and that wife and children, If they
had not abandoned the place, were
having a miserable existence. Hollins
crept down to the fringe Of bushes on
his side Of the field and peered and
watched and waited like an Apache
in ambush. For an hour he saw moth
ing. Then gaunt, i'll used dog came
among the trees and trotted about in
the open in a sneaking fugitive way.
If the dog was there the house must
be inhabited. He had just come to
this conclusion when he caught sight
Of a figure among the trees. 1t was
between the house and the bushes,
where be believed the enemy's picket
was lying. 1t must be the picket on
his way to and from the we'll. Per
haps he had gone to the house to light
his pipe or boil his coffee. There was
a glimpse and it was gone. Another
glimpse. another hiding. and then the
figure was fair to view. It was long
shot, but pretty fair target. and with
out an instant's hesitation he drew
up his gun and fred When he look
ed over the smoke the figure was gone.
But l know l hit him. and he's ly-
ing dead on the grass!
Now l can tell them at home that
l killed a man! Mighty long shot, but
dropped him for sure"
The dog was still in the open. AS
the shot rang out he looked back
among the trees. AS the echoes died
away he turned his head toward HOl-
Inns and howled dismally. A moment
LoCCA ain lAC h6uAS VA q JOoAo 6AA
appeared beside the dog. She was
bareheaded. barefooted and not over
eight years old. Hesitating for only
moment she began advancing across
the field. The smoke from the SOL
dier's musket had located him. The
dog followed at her heels. head and
tail down, and with surprise Hollins
watched the girls approach 1t took
her five minutes to cross the field She
came straight at him as he stood VI
among the bushes, and when she
reached him she extended her hand
and clasped his and said:
"Come along, your
He rested his musket against a los
. and permitted her to lead him into thu
2 open and across the field. He did no
: ask where she was leading him Not {
4 question passed his lips, nor did sh'
speak further. Straight across tn
! field to the trees among which his vic
. tim had stood. but long before he go
: there he saw form ON the grass. B.
and BY they came close up to It ant
:. the girl let 90 his hand and pointel
!, and said:
"You shot manr'
- - It wasn't man lying dead on tn
grass. soldier or farmer. but a woman
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