The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1915-06-22
A Lifelong
Regret
By F. A MICHEL


though born I'm America myself. |
thought il would please my father IL
] volunteered 60 fight the allies. So
went of 10 Belgium with a company
of uhlans and got into the thick OF ii
at once.
My chief delight was scouting. While
the German army was reducing the
forts about Liege there was work TO
do In "A different way. and l was much
J better pleased at doing it than hanging
/ about camp. though even the cavalry
was pretty busy. ! would ride out in
neutral ground with a small camera
and take pictures OF fortiications-tha
is. when l could get near enough TO do
so without being discovered
One day | had been unusually sue
cessful and on my way back TO my
command stopped at a farmhouse for
refreshmenG A pretty Belgian girl
served me. but evidently with a very
I poor grace. regarding me as an enemy
or her country. Between the sexes
there is always a special interest in
making a conquest where the party 10
be conquered resists the would be CON
I queror- ! said so many pleasant things
TO the girl that il was not long before
/ congratulated myself upon having
! quite Won her over.
Having rested for some time was
about 10 mount and ride away when
she made an excuse TO detain me
/ was not unwilling to he detained and
I spent an hour longer with her, during
which period l did more Iovemaking
/ than had ever done before I made
] of
but my little girl looked so reproacfl
I ful at my going that consented to re-
! main JUST a little longer
stayed just little too long. Sud
denly hearing the beating of horses
boots. started up with a view to get
/ ting away. but before / could mount
my horse a squadron OF Belgian cav
airy came down Oh me and made me
a prisoner. With them was a boy OF
fourteen whom had seen about the
place when had first arrived. Ii was
d evident that the girl had detained me
while she sent him TO inform the sol
diers of my presence.
I heard the officer I'm command thank
her for the information she had sent
him. and she seemed quite proud of
what she had done. | was searched.
and the photographs ! bad taken were
found on me. 10 say nothing OF my
camera Upon this the officer turned
TO the girl aud. said:
-Mademoiselle. you have helped us
to quite prize. While the captive
you have given us is I'm uniform. he
has been taking photographs OF our
works and will be treated accordingly"
How is that2" asked the girl, pal
ing
HE will be shot"
If any blood remained in the girls
face it vanished. and | thought she
would swoon. L. occurred to me that
she had not considered the importance
to herself I'm the part she was playing.
But there came another turn In the
affair. I had gone so long on my
scout that my captain. fearing had
got into trouble. galloped out on the
road | had taken TO look after me-
Suddenly while the Belgians were on
their guard he appeared at the head OF
his troops. dashing around a bend in
the road from behind trees The Bel
Gians took to flight, and l was rescued
They were pursued for some distance
while 1 was pulling myself together
and getting the arms and accouter
ments that had been taken from me.
: When ] had collected everything ]
could find | turned to the girl who had
betrayed me.
have never I'm my life seen such a
perfect example OF sudden change
Cringing before me. she looked up into
my face with a supplication for for
giveness. 1 returned it with a stony
stare. in which I threw all the CON
tempt | could express. She covered
beneath IL. and. turning my back upon
her. stalked out OF the house. mount
ed my horse and rode away with my
comrades.
We advanced on Paris. were driven
back in the battle OF the Marne, and
six months after the episode / have
related l one day found myself fight
ing again in Belgium Upon a tempo
rary cessation OF the fight I looked
about me. and the region seemed IA
miliar to me / was near a house that
recognized as the one in which I had
) been betrayed
/ had always regretted having, IN
! der the strain OF narrowly escaping
death. dealt so harshly with the girl
who had betrayed me- ! went to the
house and called for her. intending to
speak kindly word 10 her. but when
, asked for her | was told that she was
. dead
WINGED She was beyond either my
contempt or my forgiveness
Did she die OF an injuryT'' / asked.
NO. young uhIan came by here
one day. and she detained him while
? she sent her brother TO inform some
: belgian cavalry of his presence They
rime and captured him. but he was
rescued 10y his own men The girl new
~ forgave herself for having betrayed
him and pinned away and died Its
4 likely that she fell In love with bin
: without knowing it,
{ turned away with a pang IL Is
not long since the end Of the story buI
somehow ! feel that there will always
r be sore spot ia INV heart - lasting
regret that was unable to forgive her
t possibly 10 save her from q premature
death.
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