Coulee City dispatch. [volume] (Coulee City, Wash.) 19??-19??, 1916-10-12

unbound-at daybreak-by your COM
| rades."
81 thank you, Colonel Destinn."
The major looked up shyly. Through
out he had been conscious Of something
unseen passing between these two
men; he saw now that they gazed at
each other unhinchingly with that in
tensity which seeks below the surface
for the inexplicable
The sergeant came forward and
! touched the condemned man on the
shoulder. He turned at once with a
little whimsical shrug of apology,
! bowed tremendously to the whole
court, and to his own horror the major
realized that be had returned the sa
lutte. He glanced anXiously around
him. aud recognized on the faces Of his
companions the same uncertainty and
bewilderment Destinn looked at no
| one.
Richard Nameless was led out into
the sunshine With his passing the
spirit of tension passed also: there re-
turned the old torpor. touched with the
petulant irritation of exhausted nerves
that have been too highly strung
Colonel Destinn picked up his KEPT
and, without greeting. STROBE ont Of
the courthouse. The rest followed. But
as they reached the door they hest
tated. Someone had laughed. 1t was
no usual sound: in the heavy stiffness
it rang shrill and unnatural. They
turned and saw that Desire Arnaud
had not moved. He sat at the table
with his hands spread out before him
and laughed.
The ma ior shrugged his shoulders.
II have seen it coming" he said re-
gretfully 81 have seen it coming a
long time. @Ah. this terrible country
this terrible. beautiful country! 1t is
pitia ble-and his poor wife! Well, |
shall give our friend. the doctor. a hint.
He will know better"
He too went out. but the laughter
followed him. 1t drifted out on to the
courtyard and rose with the sitting
! waves of heat to the windows of the
whitewasled room where Colonel Des-
tim sat with his forehead pressed
gainst his clenched hands. listening.
1t stopped at last. abruptly, tragically.
and Destinn lifted his head as though
released from a hypnotic trance. A
little group Of men in white drill uni
forms were crossing the courtyard.
They were carrying something between
them-something that fought and
struggled
Colonel Destinn's eyes were fixed
on the broad red line which ran from
north to south, past carefully marked
towns and villages. through white
spaces of open plain. skirting broad
waterways and low-ridged mountains
to the immense yellow bank where 1t
ended abruptly. like some proud
thought that had come to nothing
Colonel Destinn bent lower. his brows
contracted in impatient bitterness
With a red pencil he struck off an inch
of the great line and marked it with
cross. The place of the seven hundred
dead.
The door opened again. He did not
hear it. His knuckles were pressed
against his forehead, as though crush
ing back an intolerable recollection
Only as he was addressed by name he
started and glanced back over his
shoulder.
81 must apologize. Colonel Destinn.
| ventured to come in unannounced.
The sentry appears to regard me as
one of the family with the right to
come and go as l please"
"You have earned the privilege
Pray be seated"
| The visitor came slowly. haltingly
across the room. He came to the table,
but did not accept the proffered chair.
| He stood in an attitude of listless ex-
| haustion, his hands clasped on the
| heavy walking-stick. his face with it's
almost unearthly transparency half
turned to the importing sunshine.
81 was in the Arab quarter last
night, Colonel Destinn. Ali-Mahomed' g
brother heads a fresh rising. There
will be an attack from the north. The
Arabs in the town are arming stealth
lily, but they will only move if there
has been success outside"
Colonel Destinn nodded.
THAT is interesting If your infor-
nation is correct, we shall have further
cause to be grateful to you. Mr.. Lowe
1T is. probably one Of the last serv
ices shall be able to render, Colone
Destinn. am retiring from the
service"
"France will be the loser"
Stephen Lowe did not speak for 8
moment. He was gazing fixedly and
apparently indifferently at the grea1
map spread out on the table before
him.
81 wish to retire rich man, CoIone