Camas Prairie chronicle. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1901-1917, 1914-10-02
KILLING HIS
MAN
By M. QUAD
By M. QUAD
Copyright. 1914. by Associated Lit
erary Press.

s"S ''ohs 'ncic was rest toI udit MIL
lion men,
Have you ever killed a man?"
or sudden. as he lay doing ON his
bed In camp one day. Private Hollins
asked this question Ut himself. When
the war was over and he returned
hOme he would be asked the question.
His friends and neighbours wouldn't be
satisfied with his record of BATTLES, but
would sweep It aside and say:
Yes. we know you were In i've OF
six BATTLES AMI that you tired hundreds
OF bullets ut the enemy. but can you
truthfnily cay sou ever brought man
down!"
He couldn't say It. and he felt that
he would lose caste. This feeling
brought sudden resolve. II was n
resolve that startled him at tirst. but
the more he thought of II the more d..
tersnined be was to carry il out. He
would kill mnn. He would do II next
time he went on T.. .ket.
This Is your post. Hollins." said the
corporal as he left him one afternoon
at the edge OF wood under Il 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 u man." said Fri
vate Hollins as he was left alone, and
he began his preparations AT once Al
long rifle shot away across I'm old cot
ton field was long house with few
fruit trees standing about 1t. One
might be sure the farmer was OF to
war and that wife and children, II they
had not abandoned the place, were
having miserable existence. uolins
crept down to the fringe Of bushes on
Ills side Of the field and peered and
watched and waited like an Apache
In ambush. For an hour he saw moth
ing. fhen esiunt, III used dog came
among the trees and trotted abOmt IN
the open In sneaking fugitive way
if the dog was there the house must
be inhabited. He had just come to
this conclusion when he caneht sight
Ut figure among the trees II was
between the house and the bushes
where he believed the enemys picket
was lying. 1t must he the picket ON
his way to and from the well. Per
haps he had gone to the house to light
his pipe or boil bis coffee There was
glimpse and It was gone. Another
glimpse. another hiding. and then the
figure was fair to view. 1t was q long
shot. but a 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 know | hit him. and he's ly
ing dead on the grass!
Now ! can tell them at home that
! killed a man! Mighty long shot. but
] dropped him for sure"
The dog was still In the open. AS
among the trees. AS the echoes died
away be turned his head toward Hol.
Inns and bowled dismally. moment
later and the figure Of young girl
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 Hollips
watched the girls approach. 1t took
her five minutes to cross the field She
came straight at him as he stood up
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 log
and permitted her to lead him into the
open and across the field He did not
ask where she was leading him. Not
question passed his lips. nor did she
speak further. Straight across the
field to the trees among which his vic.
tim had stood. but long before he got
there he saw form ON the grass. By
and by they came close up to It. and
the girl let go his hand and pointed
and said:
"Y0n shot mani"
1t wasn't a man lying dead on the
grass. soldier or farmer. but a woman
The soldier rubbed his eyes and looked
around In dazed way. A boy of ten
and girl of FIVE came ont of the house
aud stood there and looked from the
soldier to the dead woman and back.
"Well?" queried Rollins of the chill.
dren as they continued to stare at him
They simply pointed to the mother
lying dead and uttered no word The
soldier tried to speak again. but he
couldn't. With face whittier than the
one on the grass. with quivering chin
and blinded eyes. he made his way
slowly across the old field to his post.
As he lurcbed and staggered he heard
a dog howl again. but no one called to
him. When he reached his post he sat
down on the ground and covered his
face with his hands and groaned. An
hour later the corporal came with thu
relief. Holllns was lying on tha
ground with his arms extended.
Say. boys" said the corporal us he
bent over the body. "IIl be hanged II
Dan hain't gone and killed himself
with his own musket! Who'd ever
have thought 1t of himT'
Up there among the trees. standing
ah0uf with tho awe of 6aafh nnnu