Rock Island Argus., 1918-01-11
The Dailv
Short Story
UNDER THE RED FLAG.
BY Warren Miller.

men began to gather in Communist.
with view to establish what We -,
civilization that there has not ben :
sect who desired to take all propertt
from the rich and divide It amonr Il.
poor. In Russia they call it the hi.
sheviki, in France it was called In INA
the commune.
There was in Paris at that time n.
same mixture there always is amoos
those who desire to dethrone al IN.
ernment. There are the radicals, vho
are usually the leaders: there ~
those who have not" and wish Ia a..
spoil those who have" There ~.
idealists whose mental vision Il varn.
ed, many OF the latter being youn,
persons who enthusiastically 6ins
their whole souls into a bad cana
supposing it to be a noble one.
One day during the occupation ~
Paris by the commune. when the M
tional troops were trying to recautur.
the city. small body of soldiers. com.
manded by Captain Boyer, stood m.
street resting on their arms waitin.
for an order to advance. Presently
their captain gave the order "atten.
tion," shoulder arms" march"
Drum taps began to reverberate h.
tween the houses as the men moved
forward through the narrow street
Now and again a shot was fired from
window, some of the bullets brinxin.
down a man in the ranks But the
column moved on.
CASTOR Dubois, the captain, marched
at the head of his men, peering for
ward at q barricade he had been or
dered to take. The street was deserted
between the soldiers and the barri-
cade AS the command approached
the latter nothing but pile of cobble
stones was visible. The officer led -
troops to point within range Of the
defense and called halt.
| The silence Of the place puzzled him.
He looked in vain for hat protruding
above the works, but neither hat nor
face appeared. Thinking to save lite
by demanding a surrender, the captain
fixed his handkerchief to the point q
!, his sword and advanced slowly. A bui-
let struck this extemporized Tag Of
truce and it floated away in the wind.
The captain changed the formation
of his men from column to company
front. though the street was so narrow
that he was Obliged to divide the line,
placing a part of his men behind the
others, and moved forward Single
shots we're fred from the barricade
accompanied by an occasional crack
from a window or housetop.
Captain Boyer, fearing trap, halted
his men again for consideration. Il
was indeed singular scene. The mar
row deserted street, the buildings ill.,
ing it seeming taller from its narrow
ness; not a sign of life at window
except an occasional puff of smoke
from one of them; or from roof; the
pile of paving stones stopping the way
behind which the only evidence Of
human beings was the crack Of rifle
every few minutes, all combined to 6ll
the captain with distrust he would
not have felt in confronting an enemy
ten times as numerous as his company
| of riaemen.
"It is an ambush, captain" said his
first lieutenant.
What kind of an ambush" queried
: the commander.
why, when we reach certain dis
: tance from the barricade swarm Of
| those devilish communists will leap
over its top and overpower US BY
: mere force of numbers"
| That may be true" rejoined the
: captain, "but it will not prevent our
dying like soldiers doing our duty.
Then raising his voice: Forward
! march," ;.
J The troops obeyed, but it was PLAIN
| that they moved with reluctahce
There was scarcely one OF them wno
> had not formed some such solution o.
: the situation as the lieutenant. Tne
: barricade looked to them more dreao'
: full than hundred men lined up ioi
battle, with guns pointed at them
ready to fire.
, They had reached point some nua.
, dred feet from the rampant when ths
. defense sprang to its crest But 1t wa
, no horde of communists with rlnes
shotguns, scythes and other improvls
: ed implements of war. 1t was s'en
der girl; or, rather, beautiful iufs
+ In her left hand she held blood-ra
9 flag, its color reflected in her cheeks
n in her right a revolver from wnicl
' she sent bullets at the attacking lorce
: When all the chambers of her weapol
J, were emptied, throwing it at the io,e
8 most files. she took the red flag OF o.
commune in both her hands, heid
aloft and waved it defiantly Inc cay
i, tain. his lieutenants, his men. stov
motionless. Not shot was returnee
o though several of the men We, e,
wounded. Presently the captain sa,u
J. "Mademoiselle. have you force co1
y cealed behind the barricade?'
r NO, monsieur lie Capitalne- Inc ins y,
n have skulked away leaving me lis so'
:, defender. Vive la Commune" -.
. The captain uncovered, went 70 y, y
e foot of the rampant and held out III
L hand, inviting her to descend.
a 81 am your prisoner said the y.
m take me TO prison: but | have no n'e
;, of your assistance
~ 81 am going to conduct you to the res
- of my men and permit you to go ".
way. You are heroine in an exofa'
. cause" :,
;, All the FIRE left her Extending -
- hand. she permitted him to ASSIST =,
from the crest of the barricade anu
lead her away like little ehiid'