The Climax-Madisonian. (Richmond, Madison County, Ky.) 1914-1917, 1915-09-01
II
Belgian
By
PAULINE BRADFORD
MACKIE
Copyright. The Frank A. Munsey CO..


sessed with the certainty that Jean
was lying. wounded, in the open field
He knew the lad trusted him to come,
so Beaujon tossed as mother might
and could scarcely wait for the dawn
He talked to Jean. The stars were
paling.
There, so, Jean"-he reached for
his boots-"so, Jean, keep up your
courage"
! He raised his flask and tasted of its
contents:
$50, Jean, a few drops, they put
heart in man."
He stuffed loaf of bread into his
knapsack
Now, crumb, Jean-so!"
He gathered up gauze and dressing
for wound and thrust 1t into his
knapsack $50 now, Jean, let us see.
Ah-h-h-h, that is bad, but we'll get you
well. Let me tie on this bandage.
They'll do better for you at the hos
pital, but this will serve till we get
there"
He flung his knapsack over his back
so, Jean, put your arms around my
neck. Gently, gently; I'll not jar you.
That's better, eh?" He laughed
"The uhlans didn't get you, jean"
1t was gray when he went down the
road. People had their houses open,
but the shop windows were closed. At
the city gate an officer talking with a
sentry recognized Maurice
Hello, Beaujoni" he called. you
have been promoted for bravery"
Beaujon nodded as a matter of
course. He had fought like a demon
to kill men; he must have yelled like
a maniac; his throat was raw inside;
he had risen to kneeling position in
the trenches to snatch a flag which
had been shot away from Jean, and he
had waved 1t high above his head to
cover the retreat of his companions.
And then the uhlans were on him
again, but he was up and running with
the flag, and he had escaped; somehow
he had escaped. 1t was miracle. He
never doubted jeans safety until the
lad could not be found.
Where are you going, Beaujon?"
For JEAN" Beaujon answered.
Wales, he is missing?" the officer
asked. Have you been through the
hospitals?"
HE is not in them" Beaujon an
swered
This delay tortured him. He
knew he could make his search better
before the sun was up, for the CLEAN
of the bayonets had dazzled him yes
terday, and from the field they would
flash in his eyes again
Beaujon pointed WALES can't be
far" he added. I'VE were right in
those trenches, just back of those
bushes"
We'll, go on, then" said the off
GER; but be cautious. Remember the
wounded have been taken off the field
You won't find him alive"
Alive thought Beaujon impa-
tiently; mo, not If this talking keeps
up much longer" He saluted and
burst away.
He stepped out into the field. He
had known he should see the rifles and
the bayonets first, but they did not
flash upon his eyes now
No, they were dull and gray like
the sky. He gazed blankly into the
zenith; his first instinct was to look
away from the ground.
There was still a star shining; it was
yellow and very faint. He met its
gaze. 1t looked at him steadily,
blinked and went out. The thought
of Jean gripped him, and he forced
himself to look down again over the
field
There were spots on the bushes;
thin, slow streams furrowed the
ground as the light increased these
sluggish trickles, these splashes, were
scarlet
This was a shambles; the world a
slaughterhouse.
All the panoply Of war was gone;
all that made it brilliant, all that goad-
ed him on, was gone. Why had he
been promoted for bravery?
He was not brave now.
His mind was confused; he must
stop; he must be clear. There was
word which would help him if he
could remember it.
He pressed his hand to his forehead,
struggling for that word. All. he had
it! Sure. He must be sane.
He strobe firmly forward, looking
neither to the right nor to the left, his
gaze on those bushes just beyond the
farther trench
He heard low means and cries, but
he did not heed them.
Something moved in a heap of
bodies. How dead men struggled!
He passed on. There, out on a free
space of ground, a dead Belgian was
lying forward on his face.
Beaujon paused. Clutched in the
mans hand was an arm. He stared.
Then he saw that the mans other
arm had been shot OF.
His heart jumped.
Could that slender fellow be Jean?
He went forward and turned him over.
When he saw the face of a stranger
he began to laugh.
Now that the fellow did not prove
to be Jean, he saw how comical it was.
What did he expect to do with his
arm Run to the hospital with it to
have 1t sewed on?
Beaujon pursued his search, chuck
ling.
The east grew rosy and a sweet, cool
breeze blew against him. The day
] promised to be fine and clear. He was
glad of that.
Jean always liked to lie fiat on his
back IN an open field, staring up at the
SKY with eyes that were as blue Nine.
Wales was German, and her eyes
were like her sons.
She wept because her sister had
boys in the German army Her own
husband was Belgian, and her SYM
pathy must go with him; and Jean,
her son-was he not fighting the uh-
lans as well as his father?
But women took life hard
He was sorry for women. He
thought again of that fellow running