Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1915-03-19
THE RIFLE.

by NJ. Harold Thom-"n.l


IN al The bravery oi hi, Highland uni
form Young Archie MacE IN swung along
The hin road leading from his fathers
croft 10 the cottage where MarN Cameron
lived.
She saw him while hr was t>iil some
distance oil and WAS waiting ~ the little
She aW him while hc WAS sill some
Scrthcart> they Ind h,rH for Years
since boy ANIL Girl ;hrl hIt gone tp school
together. and they hat thought soon ar
settle down in a Nrc home ~ mir Own.
4 cottage would soon Ia. vacant 81 lhp
other side IL The hin. l:ui war h;d come
and with the ali fur mon Nuuu. Archie
had volunteered t~ hccluIr y soldiers
son. Ilc had told Mary what Nv htd
meant tu io before w. hJd gone W. Jhc W.
cruitiug office. aud though here hJu hrru
tears vyrt near wv Lyr liu> hud smiled
mi she hId iu~t Said wv must uu g~ hr
thought best. which i> VI Wullu'> WAY.
Hut perhaps -hr hud newer realized uIl tt..
soldering might mruu until nuW when
She saw him coming in brand u.W uui
form. when No >uddrulv rushed over her
and she felt afraid. terribly afraid
80 YOU are going aftrr Hll' She start
cd iu hr reyes q milglirg NO anxiety and
pride. You're tenn away. Archie
I'm for lWnN. hr returned touching
one or her hands. which vl> resting ou
the tnpmn~t bar nr thr gate. bout grt
worrying about mc. MarA lass. They ~ay
il will isl hr 4 sort . picnic for u> boys.
ANYWAY Ma ha,cto gn an the i;lIrk
Watch won't ~ u, first ~ fall ahiut.
That's Y cori."
But there might hc danger" She Vol
ccl the suggestion W~i>tlully gently.
Arches chin went up W tritlc. lur a
moment hc pressed hi> lips together
tightly.
W f.-r W that thr moo" h. said An
III thrrcWa~ wv carc>l;tu
If Their. WAS MA carr>"'
III care >hr answered. IN there's
your father. too. He'd care.
Archie nodded Nv" he said SLOWLY.
Their. that WAS thiukin' ~ u> wins.
When Me- Joined thr Tcrritorial> Nc kept
that We WAS gniu. On train i'm ca>t thcrr
nigh; hr chancn to tight I'm no sure
that we'll ari thc chance.
III PRAY ,nu won't. Archie"
lie cleared hi~ throat erugly and did
his best Ia Laugh.
We'll MOI .ct over serious. y"H aH
me" d. said. IF uo going ~ Say guu'
bye you. Mary. just \ sort ~ ta-tl.'
Nary> head went forward Slightly. IWl
She did MOI raise ~ cor y moment WY two.
She knew that her ,yc> had suddenly br
come dim. AMI >hc did NOT wish thli Az
chic See his dumur~>.
Then She Thought NJ that other who low
pd the lad. the uthtr who Wuu,i -rictr WI
harm happened NV him. She had tp wait
tiil Shc had her voice In control. Whih
was nor nu. just at once: then she spoke
SLOWLY.
How about your father" ~hc asked
lookiuk M IA last. lies terribly again
= you going. isn't hr 4"
Him? He's daft abnut it. It's queer
that him having been ia thc auli volun-
torr~ himself. lies Wrarin nn MI course.
Maybe that's ID. llc va> against me join
in' the Terriers frac The first \ lot y
hc SAYS irarnin ~ shoot at ycr
.fcllnNhur ~c dIt. We're VIZ ~atJgr~
e. SAYS. A w course since ihi, was
started. hes been worse.
What W. been ~ayiu''"
"Sdviu'? what ha> wv W. been SaviH.
I'm alunatic. w. S,y~. id bp hrtt.r Wur
lin the croft ta.n hl1tttIiu away lt N
~ w fat Germans. even il If cuinr, tn
that. ~ ~.E~ that the rrultrN- grur
mad. and thlt lim yin Al thr mllm'I. ID
~ shoot n rifle vince. hv says
hut that was Ton. t-u Iuu I've mu mur
SENSE than a. 80 fighiiu now. It's whole
H. dait. am Nuu'rc ii~t yin q daft
brood. hc SAYS.
4 flush had rise d in Mary's cheek as
she listened He'd nn right tr speak
TIL WAY" she said. Your father H.
H.. hui a. should mind H.. 4 High
lander, too. Hes over aul az gp oI ~
fight himself. hut AZ shuald give van Y
'God->pccd. " must hurt son WV Jwlyl
lui-hayiH' him ~ >rt against yuu- -uiH.
For some Seconds Archie booked awaE.
1T hurtS-trrriblc." hc said An length.
IF only he'd given a sign thai be- didn't
mean all he said. You're different. You