The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1914-09-26


Kerr rose fanguidiy to his feet.
stning yawn. he peeled on his
h.Sny service jacket and put his
nsnos on guard. The crowd OF Tom
hles hurriedly made n rough ring.
JOY oeaming on their faces.
~ the end OF the night the clerk
ssIo. walking across and holding out
ms nand; Il reckon It's up to me 10
pronered hand heartily. There was
neartiness In his voice that not one
oi the crowd had ever noticed before.
-. We were both fools for not getting
THIS over before" he said Now per-
maps We can be friendsr'
i0o estT said Kemp heartily.
In front OF the two men. hiding 4.
the ditch. the darkness was rivep
Win ceaseiess blazing. preceded BY
the ping-ping of rifle shots.
This amt n bit IKE town. A. A,
Dickr" said the clerk. wipInE the
sweat from his brow with n grimy
Il don't notice the .buses.- re-
marked the ex-dandy humorousiy. a.
ne brought his rifle TO his shoulder
esain- That ought TO have sent one
OF the beggars TO Kingdomcome."
Both men were lying HAT on their
,-, aho ueath was towering
over them and all round them.
I've got about twelve more bu,i.,.
lett Dick. came the low voice OF
Kemp. After that, I reckon twin
be Goodbye. motherr"
An grunted Kerr like a man
gratined. as what might have been a
dying mans yen OF pain. noated hacL
10 them. 1T viii be Eood-bye every.
BODY. I'm thinking. old chap
I've got somethin' on my mind
DICK: and want TO get Il on"
Fire away. sonny"
It's about Nell. Dick He eould
look across at him.
Id thought we'd settled ALI that
but We haven't-at least 1 haven't
DICK. want TO tell you this: used
70 tnink you were just a dressed-up
Lop-one OF those fools that hasn't
Sot hothln better to do than spendin'
money ana maxim girls fond OF 'em
when they don't mean nothin them
selves 1 used TO hate you like poi
son Tor hangin round Nell.
used 10 say to her. Why can't
ne get a girl out OF his own classT
see, l was fond OF her. Dick; II 1
with these here Germans ia bavs
asked her 10 marry me. and CHANGED
IL! 1 used to reckon ] was the besf
man out OF US two. though I was
Only clerk.
but ! know now I'm not"
Ola chap, you mustn't talk like
that. said Kerr. You mustn't, really.
IL Isn't truei I've always been what
you said was-Only| worse I've
been a waster, old fellow. all my life.
i only came out here because I'd be-
come sick of my own life.
And. look here, we mustn't say die
yet, you know" he added. his tone
Frightening. Il guess there's Just a
d oh .
ting away n the other draws their
nre. Look here. I'll slip out TO the
right there and run as hard as i can
pelt. shooting al the time. It's dark
a small troop II keep firing. Any
way
Yes" said Kemp. passionateIy.
There Is the certailty of you being
killed. so that ! can get away. Dye
think I'm the sort that would take IL.
do your
Think OF Nell. old chap
That's Just who ] am thinkin' Of
I'm gotn' 20 give you the chance;
haven't said you're the better mann"
He would have risen to his feet but
that Kerr. who had edged closer to
him. pulled him down.
wen toss for 1.-THE man who
loses - 20 out thereF' he said in a
tense voice. pointing TO the right
Have you a mateh7'
Kemp pulled a box out OF his peck
ct and held n In readiness.
Here's n coin"
Kerr rummaEed in a vest pocket
and handed something TO the other.
you spin. and I'll strike the
match"
what do you caIlY'
Life was sweet-with NeIi-and
Kemp could not conquer the tremor
In HRS voice. although he was ashamed
OF a.
'Tailsr' said Kerr. and laughed.
The two heads were close together
a. Kemp lifted the palm OF his right
hand from the back OF his left.
~Headsr' he cried.
Again he hated himself from the
bottom OF bis heart for thss emotion
which he could not conceal
Kerr laughed once more.
~Remember me sometimes-you and
NellT' he said. and rose 90 his feet
a lump that threatened TO choke
him rose IN Ksmp's throat 90 that he
could not reply. on his knees he
clutched the others hand.
Good luck. old chapi"
Then he was gone.
Kemp saw him so with eyes grown
misty Ho heard the distant cries %
the enemy ~ they rushed forward 20
whore Kerr's rife shots were splitting
a. though ten men we're shooting In
stead Of one
Two hundred ycards away they
found him. his body riddled with
bullets - Kemp. with tears run
ming down bis face. told them the
story. they barred their heads. and
many tanned away
'Gadl said tho lieutenant frrvautly
I'm proud he belonged 20 my menf
Things like this make one glad % be
n soldier"
Tho man with n scar on his ieft
cheek looked a. the photograph In
tently. while be tried iu vain 70 con-
troll the twitchinT 81 his lipa
Gle gave n % me before ~ went
away" aaid The rfu brokenIv. q
didn't tell you because I thought
you wouldn't like itf~
Ike SER cried Albert Eenp
That's the photograph Of tho nnert
man you or 7 viii ever moctf Wen
Get o. enlarged and hans ~ fn the
pnrl0r"
And they dfd