The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1916-10-20

| their brilliant reckleSSneSS were closed
| the black brows smoothed out into an
untroublcd serenity. Yet the expires
| sion was as he remembered II.
In the far distance. beyond his range
of vision. sudden sharp rattle of
artillery broke the silence. His eyes
dickered With a faint triumph. Sidi-
bel-Abbes had not been taken un-
| awares. Perhaps that daredevil Ger
man had arrived IN time.
He laid a shaking hand on the quiet
breast. The man still breathed. II
was like an answer--an acceptance
He opened the tunic with rapid skillful
| fingers. The roar Of battle was ROW
| close at hand. It rolled toward the
| narrow barrier of rock in a cloud OF
rising dust. from which flashed an in,
termittent lightning. Colonel Destinl
paid no heed. He had traced the course
Of his bullet. 1t was lodged an inch
above the heart. but Its force had been
checked by an old tattered letter case
which he tossed on one side. With
strips of his linen shirt he plugged the
ragged-looking wound and bandaged
it. The whole thing was the work of a
few minutes. Death swept down upon
them both. but this man was not to die
through him.
He had lifted the unconscious head
upon one arm; his eyes passed for an
instant to the tattered letter case and
rested there. 1t had fallen open.
Moved by he knew not what impulse
he touched 1t tremblingly. A few dried
and faded rose leaves, letter, yellow
with age singed and pierced by his
own bullet. Suddenly 1t grew very
still about him. The crash of battle
seemed to have sunk behind a deaden-
ing veil Of silence There was nothing
left in the world but this man and him
self.
Richard Farquhar"'
The name escaped him without his
knowledge. The legionary groaned and
half turned. his unconscious hand
clutching Destinn's arm. and minute
later his eyes opened. They looked al
each other steadily. and Destinn shrank
back This was the expiation-the
punishment. There was to be no curse
and no mercy, but the grim working
out Of logical merciless law.
you know now, sir?'
The weak voice sounded loud in his
ears-louder than the thunder Of the
guns. He made a movement of stunned
assent.
"Yes; you are Richard-Richard Far
Quhar, my" He broke off. He WAS
looking in the eyes of his judge; he
awaited sentence.
Tarquhar drew himself up with a
desperate effort.
"They 're-they're coming on fast
aren't they. sir? haven't much time.
And l have a message-from my
mother-wlo is waiting for youth
Sidi-bei-A -Abbes. She gave it me two
years ago. Can you hear me, sir?'
"Yes-yes."
"I was to tell you-that night when
you left her-you won her. She has
waited for you" He dropped back,
gasping. into Destinn's arms. "Sir, l
thank God-that at the last | have
found you. l also have my message
understand-and honor-and pity
you"
Destinn bowed his head. s word of
release had been spoken. He was free.
The burden of years dropped from
him. He was gazing down into the
face of a child. In the frank clear eyes
of a memory. He held the wounded
man closer shielding him with q stern
tenderness.
81 too-thank God. Richard"
The cheering had grown louder.
Within hundred yards of the rocks
where they meant to make their last
rally the harried shot-ridden ranks Of
Redouin cavalry faltered. For an in
finitesimal second of delay they seemed
to be gathering to face the new attack:
then the leaders broke away west
ward and with them. In a magnificent.
awe-inspiring semcircle. the whole
beaten. panic-strlcken host.
It was Goetz Won Berlichingen who
had led the victorious flank attack.
sweeping the retreat far into the west.
He had had no ordess to Go so and
only small detachment of chasseurs
at his command. But he had succeed
ed. and now he lay in the sand. cough
ing up blood from bullet-riddled lung
General Meunier knelt beside him. He
had no great interest in dying legion
aries. but he wished TO make sure Of
Colonel Destinn's last wherea bouts.
"You say to the right-among the
rocks there?''
Yes"
Then your flanking movement prob
ably saved them. You are a daring
fellow. If you had lived should have
had the pleasure Of ourt,martialing
you. AS it is-have you any request to
make?"