The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-01-28

was withdrawn. He crept back, fun !
bled in the darkness until he found |
them. and returned.
Then he began to separate the par |
ticles Of the earthen wall. The light |
had disappeared, but the murmurs
continued Evidently the soldiers
were moving, probably at work. He
surmised that the saphead had been
driven further; in that case he would
come on them from the rear and sur
prise them. Inch by inch he made his
way, the friable earth crumbling un-
der his hands. though his nails we're
torn and bleeding. At last the work
was accomplished A thin partition
remained between. himself and the
sap; he could hear the murmurs dis
tinctly, and could breathe the fresher
air. He took bomb in his hand. and
with the other forced away the last
of the barrier.
He sprang forward. He found him.
self confronting two Germans. One
was young officer holding a torch.
the other-a girl!
AIAW@AuCc, Will LILO al LA POAoCu IA
the act Of throwing, stood petrified.
He had not withdrawn the firing pin.
He could not hurl the bomb now.
The German. for his part. stood as
il petrified, and the girl remained with
her mouth open, staring at him. Then,
with a scream, she ran before her
| lover. But Edwardes did not throw
| the bomb
"A truce, kamerad!" cried the Ger.
man suddenly. Il am a Saxon.
speak English
Edwardes lowered his arm slowly
The Saxons and the Canadians had
preserved a semblance Of good feeling
would not act treacherously.
you will let this girl go?" asked
the soldier Then we fight it out to.
gether"
She can 60" answered Edwards,
but you are my prisoner"
The German smiled and raised his
arm. "Listen!" he said.
The Canadian only then became
aware that the continuous reverbera.
ton Of the cannon, which had been in
his ears for hours, had ceased. He
knew what that meant. And in a mo-
ment the ground above them trembled.
1t shook under the footsteps of thou.
sands of men. rushing toward each
other in the fury of battle.
III / am your prisoner" said the
Saxon, where can you take me when
your men are beaten?"
They can't be beaten"
Listen, then. We go out after the
fight, and if my men have won, you
are my prisoner. If yours have won
I am your prisoner
IF our side wins, you are my pris
oner." answered Edwardes. Mean
while-let the girl go!"
But where can she go now?" asked
the Saxon.
Nowhere! The three must wait there
till the conflict ended. Edwardes was
disarmed by the presence of this CIR
who had stolen in to meet her lover
He thought Of Milly again, and hi
realized as never before the sadness
| VI thO oti a56iC' AL pei ooiui thOu6ht'
must be set aside.
| Throw down your revolver" h,
, commanded.
| The Saxon, with shrug, obeyed
They watched each other. Overhead
the sounds had lessened. They ceased
, The dull boom of the cannon begal
again.
} I'VE have taken your trenches" sal,
( the Canadian.
, The Saxon smiled.
/, March before me! Take the cir
= on your arm. You will not be harmed
3 They will let her go. You are for
tunate to have the hope of meetinl
8 after the war"
q May tell herr"
Z Edwardes bowed his head slightly
8 and heard the German translate. TIL
= girl looked at him incredulously for
! moment; then she flung her arm
about her lovers neck and embrace,
I him. She clasped her hands agail
Z and looked imploringly at the Cana
o dian.
l. have-Ich babe Elm fraulein," he ex
8 planned clumsily. thinking of Milly.
The Saxon smiled at him. you un
derstand. you are taking me to free
a dom and yourself to Imprisonment !?
n he asked.
!, Our men hold your trenches" an
Q swered Edwardes, in a tone that ad
mitted no denial. Yet, as the pair pre-
I ceded him along the sap, there cam,
!. into his heart the faintest fear tina
Q the attack had been repealed.
h But he only squared his shoulder
e and crouched behind the two, and fol
!, lowed them toward that CLEAN of day
e light that became slowly stronger
( Overhead sounded the cannon, louder
more insistently.
They reached the entrance to thu
e sap. No one was visible. Dead mel
/ and broken arms lay heaped in piles
= Edwardes raised himself and stared
: about him. What had happened? HaC
r the trench been taken or-were tn,
{ enemy still in possession?
He saw his own doubts on the Sax
l. on's face. The two looked at eacl
J, other silently. The girl was standing
> little distance away.
4 And it was thus, in their ignorance
n in their pathetic helplessness, tina
their fate came to them in the form
y of the scattering shrapnel. Edwards
/ and the Saxon fell together. With ;
q last effort he raised himself upon hi
q arm and, staring at the uninjured girl
: motioned imperatively toward the dis