The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1915-05-20
UNDER A WAR STAMP
BY ELSIE GRUHl MARTIN.
Copyright, 1916. by w. G. Chapman)


month abroad, his heart stirred with
in him. They had been nothing more
than friends, but she had made the i'm
preston of his life upon him. A
thought of how genial and friendly
the father and daughter had been to
him, Of their present distressing con
dition, of their friendlessness and pow
erty in a foreign land, appealed to the
best instincts of his loyal nature.
They were wealthy people, the Duri-
wages, but Earl as well had an abund-
ance of worldly means. He had a
! business to attend to, and going
abroad Just now meant something Sc
rious for its interests, but he was will
| ing to make the sacrifice.
When Earl reached his office he sat
down to think out his plans for an Inn
| mediate departure. While he was ar
ranging in his mind all the details, the
office boy brought in the afternoon
mail. Earl tipped the letters over
caralessly, Then his face flushed up
| and his eyes took to their depths a
rare token of interest. From post
mark and handwriting he knew at
| once the source OF one Of the letters.
1T is from Elsa-from Miss Duri-
vage!" he breathed eagerly, and
opened It,
The letter was brief, ordinary mis-
sive, as if written between .,acquaint-
| ances 1t gave an address in the far
| oua,y ,uor.halaa uuarad oitv II told
! of business there going on as usual,
| of no particular effect of the war.
! There was nothing in the letter that
would not pass the most critical cen
sorship.
There was a postscript to the let
ter and it greatly puzzled Earl 1t
read: "The war stamp on this letter
is probably quite a curiosity in Amer
lea You might soak it off, for they
will be scarce after a while, and 1t is
quite a memento to preserve"
"Of course, | will save It," muir
INJURED the ardent Earl thinking OF
the dainty lips that had touched the
insensible piece of paper, and he pro-
ceeded to follow Instructions.
"Why-there is writing under the
stamp" exclaimed Earl, and with dis
tending eyes he read the words: 1--WE
are penniless and starving"
In a flash Earl Hosmer read the
oracle. The letter had been written
in noncommittal way that had
passed with the censor. Elsa had
used the war stamp to conceal a mes
sage telling of the real situation In
the district from which she wrote.
1t required no further thought fol
Earl to arrive at a speedy decision
and two days later he was on the
ocean, bound for the continental wal
center
Within two hundred miles of the
city that held his beloved, the prog
ress of the ardent Earl was blocked
He had with him a large amount In
ready cash. This had enabled him tc
proceed thus far without much diff
Guilty Now broad stretch Of dis
puted and warravaged territory lay
tinatiOn
It was through a little child that q
long, anxious waiting was brought tt
a close. Passing a house wrecked by
a shell In the little town where he
was STAYING. Earl heard a faint wall
ing voice He investigated, to discov
er little four-yearold girl lying ter
feet down In the dismantled cellar
where she had fallen,
Her arm was broken, she was wei
nigh exhausted with cold and starva
ton He managed to learn from hel
where she lived. When he restored
her to her frantic parents he found
that she had been missing for two
days.
The gratitude of the poor parents
was genuine. The father CHANGED Il
mention that he was one Of some
fifty wagon men who were to CARR
some wounded soldiers to the city
where the Durivages were. He was Il
bring up the rear with five days pro
visions 1t did not take Earl long tc
decide that here was his opportunity
to reach his beloved
He had an understanding with the
man. When the caravan set out Ear
was comfortably ensconced in
shielded corner of the enclosed wagon
) How his heart beat with suspense
and then sorrow as he finally reached
his journeys end! The Durivage'
We're sheltered In poor howell ant
had parted with all they possessed t.
secure the bare necessities of life.
The wagon man Was to return Il
neutral ground with his vehicle, ant
Earl and the Durivages were smugglet
through In his vehicle.
ITO think OF that dreadful past!'
murmured Elsa, as they set sail from
: the coast. homeward bound at last
+ oh, what a messenger of JOY ant
+. hope you have been!"
a messenger Of love as well Tit
moon was smiling down, the stars
, tWiukled, the gentle breeze breathet
only of peace He told her all tina
was I'm his heart, ana she kissed thu
, lips that spoke those precious words