The Medina sentinel. [volume] (Medina, Ohio) 1888-1961, 1914-12-04

tnTe0-anu the tnlng was over. Sn0
saw the Grays being crushed back and
realized that the Browns had won,
while the last details of the lessening
,.tumult fixed her attention with their
'gladiatorial simplicity. Here, indeed,
it was case Of man to man with the
weapons nature gave him
II thought sol" cried Feller. eat
tacks on frontal positions by daylight
are going out Of fashion!"
It was he who mercifully arrested
the shower Of hand-grenades that fol-
lowed the exit Of the enemy. Two Of
the guns Of the castle batteries, hav-
ing changed their position. were max
ing havoc enough at pointblank range,
with a choice Of targets between
the Grays huddled on the other side
of the breastwork and those in retreat
One Of the Grays, his cheek bearing
the mark Of boot heel, raised him
self, and, in defiance and the satisfac-
'tion Of the thought to his bruises and
humiliation, pointing his finger at Eel
iler, Marta heard him say:
"You there, in your straw hat and
blue blouse, they've seen you-a man
fighting and not in uniform! If they
catch you it will be drumhead and a
firing squad at dawn!'
That's sol" replied Feller gravely.
."But they'll have to make a better
job Of it than you fellows did II they're
going to-"
He turned away abruptly but did not
move far. His shoulders relaxed into
the gardeners stoop, and he pulled
his hat down over his eyes and low
cred his head as IL to hide his face.
He was thus standing, inert, when a
division staff-oficer galloped into the
| grounds.
Where is Major Dellarme?"
When he saw Dellarme's still body
he dismounted and in tide of feel
ing which, for the moment, submerged
all thought Of the machine, stood,
head bowed and cap off, looking down
at Dellarmes face.
II was very fond of him! He was at
school when / was teaching there.
But good death--a soldiers death!"
he said. "I'll write to his mother my
self" Then the voice of the machine
spoke. who is in commando"
Il am, sir!" said the callow lieuten-
ant, coming Up. But the men of the
company spoke.
! / Bert Stransky!" they roared.
It was not according to military ETH
quette, but military etiquette meant
nothing to- them now. They were
above 1t in veteran superiority.
Where's Stransky?" demanded the
staff-officer.
You're looking at him!" replied
Stransky with benign grin.
Seeing that Stransky was only pri.
vate, the officer frowned at the anon.
J ally when lieutenant was present,
then smiled In a way that accorded
the company parliamentary rights
which he thought that they had fully
earned.
Eyes, and he gets one of those iron
crosses!" put in Tom Fragini.
"Yes-the first cross for Bert Of the
Reds!"
"And we'll let him make a dozen
anarchist speeches a day!"
yes, yes!" roared the company.
"The ayes have i'll" the officer an
nounced cheerfully. He lifted his cap
to Marta. With tender regard and
grave reverence for that company, he
took extreme care with his next re-
mark lest a set of men Of such dy-
manic spirit might repulse him as an
invader. "The lieutenant is in COM
mand for the present, according to
regulations" he proceeded "You will
retire Immediately to positions 48 and
40 Al by the castle road. You have
done your part. Tonight you sleep
and tomorrow you rest"
Sleep! Rest! Where had they
heard those words before? Oh. yes,
in distant day before they went to
war! Sleep and rest! Better far than
an iron cross for every man in the
company! They could 60 now with
something warmer in their hearts
than consciousness of duty we'll done;
but this time they need not 60 until
their dead as well as their wounded
were removed
Feller started to pass around the
corner Of the house: he was confront
ed by Marta, who had come to the end
Of the veranda. There. within hearing
Of the soldiers, the dialogue that fol
lowed was low-toned, and It was swift
and palpitant with repressed emotion
"Mr. Feller, saw you at the auto
matte. l heard, what the wounded pri
vate Of the Grays said to you and
realized how true it was"
"He is a prisoner. He cannot tell
4 II feel that have no right to lei
you 60 to your death by q flrinl
squad" she interru Ted hurriedly
"and I shall mott + n decide nov
not to allow the telep me to remain! I
'T"--he looked around at the auto
matte ravenously and fearsomely -
WTU