The Kansas City sun. (Kansas City, Mo.) 1908-1924, 1916-01-22

49,
der his hands, though his nails were
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 a 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 a young officer holding a torch.
the other-a grill
Edwardes, with his arm poised in
the act of throwing, stood petrifed.
He had not withdrawn the firing pin.
He could not hurl the bomb now.
The German, for his part, stood as
If 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, kameradl" cried the Ger
man suddenly. 81 am a Saxon. /
speak English"
Edwardes lowered his arm slowly.
The SaXons and the Canadians had
preserved a semblance of good feeling
during the conflict; he knew the man
would not act treacherously.
you will let this girl go?" asked
the soldier. Then we fight it out to-
gether."
She can go" answered Edwards.
but Won are my prigOnar"
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 cars 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.
IF l 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. o
are my prisoner. If yours have won,
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 girl
who had stolen in to meet her lover.
He thought of Milly again, and he
realized as never before the sadness
of the struggle. All personal thoughts
must be set aside.
Throw down your revolver" he
commanded.
The Saxon, with a shrug, obeyed.
They watched each other. Overhead
the sounds had lessened. They ceased.
The dull boom of the cannon began
again.
I'VE have taken your trenches" said
the Canadian.
The Saxon smiled.
March before me! Take the girl
on your arm. You will not be harmed.
They will let her go. You are for
tunate to have the hope of meeting
after the war"
May / tell herr"
Edwardes bowed his head slightly.
and heard the German translate. The
girl looked at him incredulously for a
moment; then she flung her arms
about her lovers neck and embraced
him. She clasped her hands again
and looked imploringly at the Cana
dian.
IT'S all right" said Edwardes. Il
have-Ich habe Elm fraulein." he ex-
planned clumsily, thinking of Milly.
The Saxon smiled at him. You un-
derstand, you are taking me to free.
dom and yourself to Imprisonment? %
he asked.
Our men hold your trenches" an
swered Edwardes, in a one that adj
mitted nj denial. Yet, as the pair pre-
coded him along the sap, there came
into his heart the faintest fear that
the attack had been repealed.
But he only squared his shoulders
and crouched behind the two, and fol-
lowed them toward that CLEAN of day
light hat became slowly stronger.
Overhead sounded the cannon, louder,
more i~nsistently.
They reached the entrance to the
sap. No one was visible. Dead men
and broken arms lay heaped in piles.
Edwardes raised himself and stared
about him. What had happened? Had
the trench been taken - the
enemy still in possession?
He saw his own doubts on the Sax
on's face. The two looked at each
other silently. The girl was standing
a little distance away.
And 1t was thus, in their ignorance.
in their pathetic helplessness, that
their fate came to them In the form
of the scattering %shrapnel. Edwardes
and the Saxon fell together. With a
last effort he raised himself upon his
arm and, staring at the uninjured girl,
motioned i~mperatively toward the dis
lance.
And he fell back, seeing the Saxon's
uncomprehending eyes fixed upon his.
The form of Milly lowered before his
gaZe-and vanished.
! Copyright, 1916. by w. G. Chapman.)