Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1918-05-17
"Bride of Battle"
A ROMANCE OF THE AMERICAN ARMY
FIGHTING ON THE BATTLE
FIELDS OF FRANCE.
I,IIAI'rI:Is N.
by VICTOR ROUSSEAU
Copyright by W. G. Chapman.
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Survcuns had stopped their worh uii
an ,b,. morrow. when the less urgent
or,cr;,1inns would he performed. Qua'
,,.r. had been found for the new SIS
,crs. the general and h's stan hau
d;s,uucarcd in their automoplies iof
;,u unknown destination, ana 'he VI
d,rI,.s save those on duty, were given
the customary leave.
Leave meant Etaplcs, with its CUM
Portable little inn. the chatty hhuiauE
and her pretty daughter. VINO dio
thriving business in the SAFE Oh 'he
hight country wines and very li''iu
,,,.,.r among the soldiers, as well "e
american tubaccos and cigarettes that
had been procured, heaven knows
how. from the base.
u,rk strobe toward Etaples. he
had an intense longing for the hsh's
and comfort Of the little inn' the sish'
,r h,s compauions. seated about the
stove. IN the smokc-iillcd r"oih' II.
wanted To be among them but not oi
,bcm. To- shut out OF his memory lhe
,hourhts uf that unexpected h''''''S'
I'm, ne had not gone more than Il nun
jr.d .unccs when Hartley hailed hiii'
Going into Et"plcs?' he asked Do
van mind my going with you!
..rr,nklv, yes. Hartley" answered.
Mark You won't mind my saying
.,n want to be alone after
e, know. old man." said Hartley
drawing back. Sorry II oo'"eie'
you ,
I'm, Mark swung roun. on hin'
"IIartIcy, answer III" one p"'S'io"'
ne said. What has Miss Howard ever
had 10 do with you? Why nave you
been watching Ter for six or seven
years"
You mcln--
..you watched her house In WASH
iurtun. And you are the man sa"
ou,s,d, the school ut Tanways' III
Wcstchcster county"
Hartley began to walk along the
road at Marks side. He made Il c"ri-
ors gulping sound before he answered.
HAS il occurred to you, Mark, tha'
the NrnSOn Woiilih H"" ~"
in Washington for Il good time ho"
hc asked.
"I suppose So" Mark answered.
.you know everything was prepared
for wears before the war began Inc
-ysIcm had ram 1icari6ns m every ues
,,r,meut of the government. YOU
know Colonel Howard was III 'ouch
with il as far back rs the Cuban war
";ond Lord. yes, but
And Il man is only Il pawn IN SUCH
:, .omc, Good God. don't question me-
Mark. I've been u tool OF hcrs' pu'
TII swear that | never worked as''nS'
Tho government. | learn al ht''c Wy
,,l. or the whole accursed nest oi
s,irs | oheycd their orders because
v,Jl can't tell you now-but WORK
,J ,roius, them too. I've done them
r,,r,. harm than good. | had my mo-
,iv,.s selfish ones, dcspicable, rcrhaPs'
-. ,.,S mover "A traitor. Good COD,
Mark. haven't YOU seen how your ia''''
in mo has begun IL make man "'
me"
Mark took Hartlcy's hand ana
,.r,,,;.d il. II was the best ana inc
,rIy poSSihlc answer. In thcir e'e'
understanding they went on 'o"'i"
IN, inn together.
|, wns true: Hartley had become
different man since the beginning Vi
,h,ir friendship Whatever ms mo-
len
Mrs. Kcnsun had some strong ho'u
over him Mark no longer suspected
him Hartley seemed to nave she"
the slough nf years since they MI" e"-
u.,,b ,n-rthcr In the medical CORPS
,h,u.b ne was Us rcticent as ever aS
to his plans
outside the inn they saw an auto
with u soldier chauffeur in charse'
Hartley griprcd Marks arm.
"po YOU know whose that IS! nc
yyh;sucrcd. "kcllcrman's'
The landlady came to the door
..Ecnsoir. mcsSieurs." she said sHii-
ing "This way tonight II You please
sh, led them round by the side, into
m, kitchen. where they found haii
.,,y,.r rriyatcs drinking wine ana
teasing the landlady's daughter rs sne
served :hcm.
There was nothing i'll this to the
men: they were often turned out Oh
the dining room -parlor when othcers
put i'll an appearance. But-this WIS
Ecllcrman. Mark looked ut Hartley
and s,w intense excitement on his face,
which he was trying most evidently 10
restrain.
He ordered beer of Annette, and FOL
lowed her toward the clubhouse IN
which the liquor was stored. the glri
wos a friend Of his perhaps because
more serious than the rest. he trea'eu
her with less badinagc than was GUS
tomary among the soldiers. As she
moycd out of the lighted room into the
shadows outside the merrimcnt iei'
like a mask from her face.
What is 1t. Annette?" asked Mark.
".\h. monsieur. it is tragic! sid the
girl. pausing ut the clubhouse door,
..Shc is one OF my countrywomen. The
accent is Of the south. or some out
landish part. hut she is French-ana
she has come II long way to meet him.
and he will not have anything to do
with her. How did she get through
the lines"
Who. Annette?"
The lady with the American Of
ficcr. Listen. monsieur. Listen. them
They were standing in front OF the
clubhouse, which was set near an angle
of the old-fashioned building between
the parlor and the kitchen. They
could hear the imploring voice Of the
woman. and the subdued answers OF
Eellerman.
Then. elusive against the dark angle
OF the building. Mark perceived Hart
low He was standing under the high