The Julesburg grit-advocate., 1914-12-10

iaE the regiment, uAo hAA noticed the
excits0eat from = distance. appeared.
forcing . gap for his passage through
the crowd with sharp words. He. too.
recognized Lanstr0a. After they had
shaken hands, the colonel scowled A.
he heard the situation explained. With
the old sergeant. still holding fast 70
Stranskys collar. . capable and In
sisteDt witness for the prosecution:
while Stransky. he ars In his eyes
dying to Goals. stared straight ahead
1T 10 only q suggestion. OF course. !"
said Lanstron. speaking quite ~ .
spectator to avoid the least indication
Of interference with the colo0el's su-
thority. but 1t seems possible that
Straasky has clothed his wrongs in Q
garb that could never set we'll On his
nature II he tried to wear 1t in prac-
tice. He IL really an individualist. En-
ragged he would fight we'll should
like nothing better than q force OF
Stranskys II had to defend = redOsbt
in \ last stand"
Yes. he might fight" The colonel
looked hard At Stransky's rigid profile.
with Its tight lips and chin as frm ~
II cut out Of stone. You never know
who will sight in the pinch, they say.
But that's speculation. Its the ex-
ample that have to deal WITH
he 10 not OF the insidious. plotting
type. He spoke his mind openly" sug-
gested Lanstron. IF you give him the
limit Of the law. why. he becomes \
martyr to persecution. should Say
that his remarks might pass for bar
rack-room casing
Very we'll" said the colonel. taking
the shortest way out of the dimculty.
We will excuse the first O6ense"
Yes. sir" said the sergeant me.
chanicaiiy as he released his grip OF
the offender. We had two anarchists
In my company in Africa" he observed
In loyal agreement with orders. They
fought like devils. The only trouble
was to keep them from shooting inno-
cent natives for sport"
Stranskys collar was still crumpled
on the nape OF his neck He remained
stock-still, staring down the bridge OF
his nose. For full minute he did not
vOuchsafe SO much as q glance upward
over the change in his fortunes. Then
he looked around \: Lanstron glover
ingIy.
II know who you are!" he said.
You were born in the purple. You
have had education. opportunity. posi-
tion-eyerything that you and your
kind want to keep for your kind. You
are smarter than the Others. You
would hang man with spider webs
instead OF hemp. But won't fight for
you! No. WON'T"
termination In his defiance 80 intense
that 1t had a certain kind of dignity
that freed it Of theatrical aiIectation.
Yes, was fortunate: but perhaps
nature was not altogether unkind to
you" said l.anstron. In Napoleonic
times. Stransky, think you might
even have carried a ,narshai's baton in
your knapsack."
"You-what rot!" A. sort Of triumph
played around Stransky's full lips and
his Jaw shot out challehgingly. NO.
never against my comrades on the 9th.
er side of the bOrder!" he concluded,
his dogged stare returning.
Now the colonel gave the order to
fall in: the bugle sounded and the cen.
tipede's legs began to assemble on the
road. But Stransky remained = statue.
his rife untouched on the sward. He
seemed Of = mind to let the regiment
go on without him.
"Stransky, fall In" called the ser.
KeAnt.
Still Stransky did not move. A com.
rade picked up the rife and fairly
thrust it into his hands.
Come on. bert. and knead dough
with the rest OF u.s." he whispered,
Come on! Cheer up!" Evidently his
comrades liked Stransky.
mol" roared Stransky. bringing the
rife down OH the ground with heavy
blow.
aTO BE CONTINUED