The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1917-11-20
His Mistake
By OSCAR COX
1conrrirht- Is17. western New.pspsr UniOnl

. Frs NOhNticAhEs q 80
your mind to come, JOhnT
The one addressed hesitated for a
long time. then said, II can't do II just
now, Carl. l know you are right In
going to offer your services to the
United States, but something holds me
back yet"
az fear, John, It is Hulda's iniu-
ence."
Eyes" said John, 81 admit her infiu-
ence."
81 don't understand her." continued
Carl. Her father is a splendid citi-
zen. Her only brother is already at
the front. How can you explain 1t,
John?"
"Well. you see, Carl, you have been
away from home so long you don't
know about the influence Hulda's
mother exerted owe her. From the
time the war broke out she was
strongly pro-German."
"Have you confessed your love for
her YETI" said Carl.
mo, but 1 plan to try my luck to-
day"
The brothers parted with a warn
handshake.
His love for Hulda Brown, an IN
usually pretty girl, was the n great
thought hat possessed the mind of
John Morse. He was willing to make
any sacrifice for her.
He had been backward about asking
her to be his wife. for his great love
made him fearful Of himself and what
had given him reason at times to
make him think she had more than
a merely friendly affection for him.
John mounted his horse and in a
couple of hours reached the Brown
farm.
1t was just beginning TO get dusk Is
he ~dismounted from his horse and
made his way TO a summer house
where he was quite sure he would find
Hulta alone.
All was silence till Just as he
neared the spot voices came to his
ear and he stopped almost mechan-
ically. 1t vas the voice of Henry. her
cousin, and, looking in, John saw him
with his arm round Hulda, kissing
her and saying, "Have good courage,
dear little woman; / will be back to
you SOON"
The man nea the summer house
heard the words and they were like a
stab to his heart. Then, with a heavy
sigh. he turned away and remounted
his horse.
The next day John offered himself
for enlistment In the United States
army and soon after entered a train
ing camp, where the busy days and
hard life helped to dull the pain.
AS time passed on Hulda became
day by day more unlike her usual
happy self, till her father, noticing her
pale face and languid ways. put his
wit to work to find something to In
terest her.
The father persuaded some OF Hui.
da's most intimate friends TO get her
interested In Red Cross work.
Then came the sad news from the
front. Hulda's brother had been
wounded and was in an English hos
pital.
After a little pleading with her IA.
Their, Hulda was allowed to depart Inn
mediately for London.
On her arrival she found her brother
so much improved that he was to re-
turn to the front in a weeks time.
in London and pursue her Red Cross
work.
For many months new c~ontingents
of American soldiers had been passing
from the United States to France,
among them the two brothers, John
and Carl.
John % became conspicuous for
his daring and babe fair to be rap
idly promoted.
In an attack near Ypres during the
night a party of American soldiers,
led by John, penetrated a lonesome
house. Suddenly they were attacked
by a big force of German soldiers, who
poured up from a concrete cellar. All
looked pretty blue for the Americans,
but such was John Morse's courage
that he inspired the others, and in a
marvellous hand-to-hand struggle the
American soldiers fought their way
clear of the Germans, not one being
taken prisoner.
In a dugout entered by John he
found one American prisoner, half
starved. whom he carried to the rear.
AS he was bending over the man to
examine into his condition, a bomb ex-
ploded near by and both men were
hit by ~shrapnel.
They were sent to a hospital In Eng.
land to convalesce, and while ON the
transport John discovered he had
saved the life OF Hulda's brother.
The hospital life which John dread
ed was transformed almost into a par
adise the evening of their arrival,
when their nurse In charge. looking
most bewitching in her costume. APP
peared, and Hulda Brown and John
faced each other in mutual surprise