Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1918-04-12

sent home with labels as soon as we
can. Move on, boys"
,, The jolting stretcher proceeded out
| OF the scrub and down the hill. Here,
! in the open. everything was almost as
silent as in the bush. after the days
battle. Under the light OF the rising
moon could be seen parties OF men
moving over the hillside. stragglers
seeking their regiments. or fatigue
parties detailed upon the necessary
night work that follows day OF
death. The moon shone down on hud-
died forms scattered for the most
part in little clusters. where shells or
machine g,nilre had caught them.
It seemed an infinitely long journey,
and every movement OF the stretchcr
was almost unbearablc. Wallace shut
his lips tight. He looked at the child
beside him. She moved in her sleep.
feeling for his neck with the little
erimy hands. Her check snugClcd into
the hollow of his arm. The lieutenant
was curiously touched 10y this uncon-
scious confidence.
He issued from his ordeal OF pain at
last. when the bearers halted in front
of the line of tents that served for a
field hospital. Strctchcrs 10y the dozen
were piled about the ground. ANA
more were arriving constantly.
Wounded men. supported hy tn"
sound, came limping in on the last
lap OF their painful journeys. Others.
who had arrived but had not yet
been attended to, sat or lay in front
of the tents. Ordcrlics were scurrying
TO and fro. Major Howard caught on"
of the rcgimental surgeons. who
looked Mark over quickly and then
picked the child out Of the stretch
or.
Hello. Who's this?" he asked.
Friend OF his" said the major. in
dicating Mark.
"Shc doesn't look like Cuban young
lady" said the doctor us he cut away
the sleeve of the tunic.
Her fathers dead. Hit 10y shell
on his way from Santiago. | think nc
was an American" said Mark.
Give her to me. | never had one,
said the doctor, suddenly injecting Il
hypodermic into Marks arm.
Not after that" said Mark. WING
ing. Besides I'm thinking OF adopt
ing her myself"
And he wondered what had made
him say that when the thought had
hardly reached his own conscious
ness.
See. here. young man. Let me look
at that arm of yours before you talk
that way. Hum! 1odT be running
round in a couple of weeks, rs well as
ever"
Thank heaven for that" calculated
Mark fervcntly. "Thcn I'll hc in at
the death"
81 doubt it. won't pass you for
duty for six months to come" said
the doctor. grinnins. Then. seeing
Marks detected look. he added. more
seriously:
"You may thank the modern high
power bullet that you are going to
keep your arm. my hoy. It's drilled
a nice little pencil hole clean through
the Joint. instead of shattering it, and
that's got to be filled in with new
growth. Even | can't grow bones in
To-, n,..
ago your arm would have had to com"
off. There's nothing more ] can do for
you. my son." he added. as he smear
cd some sticky stuff over the wound
and began adjusting bandagc. "cN-
ccpt tie YOU up and put you in the
hospital tonight. and send You down
to the base in the morning"
"The devil you will! guess I'm
we'll enough to stay on the joh as
am"
Here I haven't any more time to
waste on YOU" said the doctor.
"pouncc will make you sling and
you'll 20 into that tent and stay there
or I'll cashier you. You won't he feel
ing so spry tomorrow morning. Get
out"
He strobe away. leaving: Mark look
ing into the grinning black face of
Johnson.
After the sling had been adjusted
he discovered that the sense Of we'll
being. due to the hypodermic. was al
ready beginning to leave him. His
servant helped him into the tent and
Major Howard brought in the little
girl. who at once coiled herself up to
sleep at Wallacc's side.
What are you going to do about
herr" inquired the major. standing be-
side the camp bed and looking down
at Wallace uneasily.
boil some canned cow and see if 1t
will dissolve the celiulosc out OF an
army biscuit
1T shall he done. guess that'll stay
here till morning. But seriously. Wal
lace?"
81 suppose I'll have to assume the
responsibility for her. I'll take her
down 10 the base with me tomorrow
and ship her home to my people in
charge of one OF the stewardesses on
some liner
1--WE got better scheme" said the
major. Let me have her. Wallace.
My wife will go crazy over her. You
know she's always talking Of adopt
ing n little girl. She's got her ideal
type in mind. and that's it. | was to
look round for one like that If ever
the chance came along"
We'll, you'd better go on looking
round. major" said Wallace. irritably.
"See here. my boy. YOU don't really
want the kid, do you?"
Il do. II think over your PROPOSE
ton, major, Of course, but my sister
would give her a home and"
Let me send her to my wife. You
can claim her after the war. II you
want to. Suppose you got killed; we'd