New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-10-15
The Last Bullet
Continued from Page Sir.

had used the last lldfc-up OF MS rapidly yan;,
strength to make his exit-quckly, withou, ..s
sentimental parting
He uttered one short, dull groan as A ,hs..
ran through his body, and the arm with vs,.,
he had held the revolver to his ear tu;,,..,
couple of times.
Loneliness and the terror of death bore dov,
on Kraft like ravenous wolves.
What was that rusting? Were the be,s.
coming?
With his left hand he reached for tbs ;,
volver. Now he could barely touch the c,r
tain's hand. But what was that? The A.,
man held the Browning in vise-ike p,i,
However much he pulled and tugged n.
fingers would not loosen. The weapon woul,
not yield to the strength left in his weak lss
hand. And the right hand-it could not b.,,
1t lay crippled and impotent beside him.
Once more in desperation he struggled with
the dead mans grip. But to no avail. y.
would be obliged to crawl out much turtle, \
order to lift the arm and the revolver tope,h.,
and to force the dead man to drop it.
Then he would be completely out Of NJ.
hiding place. He would be freeing his bod,
from its cover of dry and Wondering leac.
only to commit it again to them forever.
There-a dull thunder-once, twice. Csa
God The artillery! The batteries were pu,h,
ing ahead. Then the comrades could ady.rc.
once more. How far back could they be! Hov
much time would they need to cover the d.
lance? To chase away the franc tireurs! Oh
e. g Iolf
heaven grant it? Now to pray for H. Ma
rather to work for it! To get back into COVE,
or, at least, into what looked like cover
Going back the crawling was better. Shot
again! Only half an hour!
There! What was that?
Voices speaking French. A rustline Of
leaves. Steps, coughing. Instinctively he due
his face deep into the protecting blackberry
creepers The thorns scratched his mouth And
neck. All the same he must lie still. Then
they were.
He distinguished a croaking woman's yoic,
the voice of boy and still another of deepr
quality.
1.-TWO dead ones" said the boy, pushing hin
with his foot.
Then all hope could go to the DEVIL Thu,
had discovered him in spite of the leaves and
brambles.
First the officer" he heard the old womas
say-undoubtedly the fendish-looking old WON
an of whom the captain had spoken.
Happy he! He was dead!
Again the German shells Numbered through
the air.
The franc-tireur band seemed TO hesitate.
He ventured to raise his head little, sup
porting it on his chin, and TO open mis- eyes
Through the leaves he recognized womans
skirt, held up by a loathsome, wrinkled hand
"Quick! Quick! Before they GOMEZ said
the old woman. "The officer is dead. Too
bad! Too bad! Take his revolver"
youth bent over the dead captain and tried
to take possession of the Browning. Since b.
could not pry it loose from the stiffened fingers,
he lifted the arm up with jerk.
The old woman was impatient.
"Quick! Quick" she cried. "The other onsh
there in the bushes is still alive"
A dull report, a shrek of pain, terrih
wailing.
"The dead shoot at US, grandmother" cried
the two French boys.
Were his saviors already there?
Kraft forgot prudence; he stretched hn
neck around. The old woman had fallen OF
the ground. The face of the dead captain wal
covered with little heap Of sawdust.
Il am dying" screamed the old woman, "Ls
the accursed. Prussian alone. Carry me into
the village. Where are Jacques and Francoi'
Already off with the plumber? Carry me into
the village before the Germans come. Quick
quick! Listen to the cannons"-
Once more the vital energy left in the youH
man fickered up. But wisdom counseled hn
to lie perfectly still. What had really hap
pened? The saving shot came from somewher
in the immediate neighborhood But there wa
no hurrah. No comrades came rushing for
ward. All was quiet about him. Nothing va
stirring but the evening wind, which light!
tossed the poplar leaves TO and fro.
"To die is not so very hard" he said sofsH
to himself.
The guns Numbered again in the service
cause which rocked nothing Of indiwaus
suffering.
A little later, when something cold ""
spashed over his brow, he thought, IN 0.
half-conscious state, that he felt the ac'uA
touch of Death.
Alphabetically he heard their congratuati0nS
until suddenly sense of horror aroused MN.
Those beasts have also suffocated TINS 0r
Ger here" cried one of the ambulance eO'r
men. "See, he is full of sawdust."
But the volunteer would not have 1t so' 'n'
tho roScuerc also cau tho. the rantains cOnoT