Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1914-10-27
THE LAST SHOT
By FREDERICK PALMER
[Continuedl
Copyright. 1914. By Charles scribner.. sols.

lCOntInueul
Marta w0u.l .- ..-ye the food
brought to her. She insisted that she
was strong enough to accompany
Minna to the tower. While Minna
urged mouthfuls down Marta's dry
throat as she sat outside the door OF
= The sitting-room with her mother a
y number of weary dust-streaked faces,
with feverish energy in their eyes,
peered over the hedge that bounded
the garden on the eide toward the pass.
These scout skirmishers OF Stransky a
men of the SD Regiment of the
Browns made beckoning gestures as
to a crowd, before they sprang over
the hedge and ran swiftly. watchfully.
toward the linden stumps, closely fol-
lowed by their comrades. Soon the
whole garden was overrun by the lean,
bueinesslike fellows, their glances all
feTet-like to the front
Look, Minna" exclaimed Marta.
THE giant who carried the old man in
pickaback the first night of the war;"
Minna. was flushing, but the flush
dissipated and she drew up her chin
when Stransky, looking around, recog-
nized her with a merry. confident
wave of his hand
See, he's a captain and he wears
an iron cross!" said Marta as Stransky
hastened toward them.
HE acts like it," assented Minna
grudgingly
Eager, leviathan, his cap doffed with
q sweeping gesture as he made a low
bow, Stransky was the very spirit of
retributive victory returning to claim
the ground that he had lost.
We'll, this is like getting home
again!" he cried.
80 I see!" said Minna equivocally.
Stransky drew his eyes together,
sighting them on the bridge of his nose
thoughtfully at this dubious reception.
81 came back for the chance to kiss
a good woman's hand" he observed
with a profound awkwardness and
looking at Minna's hand. Your
hand!" he added, the cast in his eyes
Strengthening as he looked directly at
her appeallngly.
She extended her finger-tips and he
pressed his lips to them.
Il kept seeing the way you looked
when you belted me one IN the face"
ne went on, "and knocked any an
archism out OF me that was left after
the shell burst. ! kept seeing your
lace in my last glimpse when the
Grays made me run for 1t from your
Kitchen door before had half a chance
for the grafton crying for voice. You
we're IN my dreams! You were in bat
tie with mel"
This sounds like a disordered
mind" observed Minna. I've heard
men talk that way before"
"Oh, have talked that way to other
women myself" said Stransky.
Yes" said Minra bitterly. His can.
dor was rather unexpected.
Il have talked to others in passing
on the high road" he continued. But
never after woman had struck me in
the face. That blow sank deep-deep
deep as what Lanstron said when |
revolted on the march. l say it to you
with this'-he touched the erosion
my breast. And I'm not going to give
you up. It's a big world. There's
room in 1t for place for you after the
war is over and I'm going to make the
place. Good-by till I'm Blackjack to
stay! Good-by, little daughter" he
added with wave of his hand to Clar-
1ssa as he turned to go. Maybe we
shall have our own automobile some
day. Ite no stranger than what's been
happening to me since the war began"
IF you don't marry him, Minna, I'll
III" Mrs Galland could not find
words for the fearful thing that she
would do
Marry him! have only met him
three times for about three minutes