Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1917-08-16
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NOVELIZED FROM THE PHO
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UFACTURlNC COMPANY
SIXTEENTH EPISODE
Court-MartiaIed.

Soon after Major Winston was
placed in the improvised grave by his
brave and loyal comrades, he lapsed
into Inconsistencies, for he was
weak and ill from the loss of blood.
When he recovered some hours later
all was dark and silent about him. He
slowly raised himself up and gazed
out of his shelter. There. spread out
on the sand of Diablo Pass, were the
bodies of his faithful fighters.
The Major was not a weak man. on
the contrary, he was considered one
of the bravest men that ever Shout
dered a rifle, and it was his love of
lighting that had won him his epaulets.
His record in the Civil war, where he
fought under Sheridan, had won him
distinction and the appointment of
sergeant major. He came from fam
lily of fighters, and, ever since he was
old enough to understand the meaning
of the word he loved to fight. When
the Spanish-American war broke out
he was one of the first to go back into
service, although he was actually re-
tired at the time. Fighting was his
very life, and though he had been
wounded many times, and his poor old
body was fairly Clipped with bullet
marks, yet he considered it the great
est honor any man could have, and the
greatest tribute he could pay his coun-
try and his flag.
He had often said that a man had
but two things to live for one was his
wife, and the other to fight for his
country. Colonel Horton agreed with
the Major in this, for there was no
father. The two veterans had been
boys together. and had grown up in
each others friendship. They had en-
listed together, suffered military hard
ships together, and. on more than one
occasion, came very near dying togeth-
er. In the days that preceded the
Civil war they had hunted Indians in
the middle West. During the trouble
some days in New Mexico, when a
white man was in danger of being
seized and murdered by Indians, if he
traversed the old Santa Fee highway
alone. the Major and Colonel Horton
had led the columns of troops which
went in search of the terrible Apaches,
and to them was given great deal of
the credit for routing these rowing
bands.
During the years that had passed he
had seen, and taken part in, some of
the most important fighting in his
country'S history. He had known the
tremendous joy which comes with vic
tory and the depression which accom-
panies defeat. There had been battles
from which he and his company had
emerged without the loss of a single
man. On the other hand there had
been times when he led only a few,
discouraged and disheartened men
from the field; remnants of his COM
pany. But, never. during all his years
as a soldier. until now. had he suffered
such an overwhelming defeat. For,
of the 200 men that had made up
his little company, not single
one of them had survived the on
slaught of these Mexicans, but
himself. Never had he been called
upon to send in such a report as the
one he would have to give to Wash
ington on the fight at Diablo Pass.
AS he stared at the bodies of his
troopers his mind seemed to become
dazed. He wondered whether it was
all a reality or the result of his
wound. Perhaps he was still uncon-
scious and was looking on this ter
ribIe scene in his dreams. Weak and
haggard, from long nights and days Of
exposure in the open accompanied by
lack of food; his courage gone : his
heart heavy; he presented a picture of
deep misery. And, as he gazed at
the blood of the youths great tears
came to his eyes, and he permitted
them to roll down his burned cheeks
At that instant he would have given
his life to have been able to save
them. 1t seemed a travesty of war
that he should be allowed to live and
they to die. They were young men,
many of them; men who were needed
by their mothers, their wives, their SIS
tiers and their sweethearts. The
world needed them to assist in carry
Ing on its affairs. but, when a man
reaches his age. there is little left
for him TO da In the years that had