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

The child. too young to know any
thing of death. went out OF the nut
and began to play in the shaft OF sun
light that filtered through the branch
es of the palms. Wallace searched the
dead mans pockets. He found moth
ing. however. except military pass
signed by General Linares OF the
Spansh forces, authorizing the bear
er TO pass through the lines: and, att
or q moments reflection, he decided
TO leave il on the body.
So this man had been the child's 5
father, and, apart from her speech.
his coloring showed that he had been
an American. Wallace concluded tha'
he had been a planter. trapped In
Santiago. He raised the body on his
arms and tried to turn 1t over. but
let IL fall when he saw the work that
the bullet had made OF the face. he
must not let the little girl carry away
ANYTHING OF such memory IA that.
lie gropcd his way outside ana
Icckoncd to her. What is your other
name. Eleanor" he asked.
The little girl only looked at him;
il was evident that she did not under
stand the meaning OF his question.
Did your daddy live in Santiago
"My daddy has gone away. want
him" said the child. beginning to
whimper.
Wallace tried her once more.
where is your mamma" he asked.
But she said nothing. and hc sat
down. propping himself against the
shack. He drew the little girl down
beside him.
Now, listen to me, Eleanor" he
said. Your daddy has gone away.
He will be gone for q long time. You
must bc good and patient, and soon
somebody will come to take care OF
YOU. DO you understand"
The child's lip quivered. but she did
not CRY. She fixed her large gray eyes
upon him.
"Who are you?" she asked. with the
directness of childhood.
my name is Mark
81 like you. Mark. will go with
you till my daddy comes back.
"All right. Then sit down here be-
side me and play" muttered Wallace
wondering rather grimly what there
was for her to play with.
But the grubby little fingers were
soon busy in the sandy soil. Wallace
watched the child, wondering who she
was. and how it had happened that
the father had been forced to take hcr
into the Jungle, into the midst Of the
contcnding armies. Her clothing was
almost rags. and she must have been
drcnchcd 10y the rains OF the preced-
ing night. II had certainly been Il dcs-
pcratc and difficult adventure Tor
the dead man.
The light began to fade. Wallace
half dclirious now from pain and
thirst, struggled to preserve his con-
seriousness for the sake OF the little
girl. Sometimes he would emerge
from Il semi-stupor and look round
for her anXiously; but he always
found her, no great distance away,
building sand castles out OF tn" soit
soil and chattering 10 herself as nap
pily as il she had already forgotten
her sorrow.
When ne aroused himself finally, II
was to see the flash Of torch III ms
ewes. Faces which he recognized were
looking into his own. There was
Crawford. the senior lieutenant, who
had graduated from West Point the
year before. and Captain kellerman;
there was his own negro servant.
Johnson, with a look OF alarm on his
ebony face: and nearby were TWO
men from the ambulance, carrying an
empty stretcher.
Wallace moancd for water and the
sense of the liquid In his throat
warm though it was. brought back
with rush.
well, we've got you." said Craw-
ford checrfully. How are you feel
ing. old MANI"
Fine. Have we got Santiago?
well. not exactly, but nearly. We've
carried all the trenches, and were
waiting to get our big guns up. Arm
hurting you?"
NO" said Wallace. sitting groan.
SAY. Crawford. suppose ! was de-
lirious. but | thought there was Kid
here"
AS he spoke he caught sight Of Ma
jor Howard emerging from the SHACK
with the little girl in his arms, last
asleep. The major came up to hir'.
How are you feeling. Wallace" he
asked. Good" l didn't know You
were family man. though. till | saw
this kid sleeping in your arms"
you've been inside" inquired the
lieutenant. looking toward the shack
The ma jor's face grew very Serious.
He nodded.
Her father" said Wallace.
"Come, get in with you." answered
Ma jor Howard. curtly. indicating the
Mark. supported by the
orderiies. who had placed the stretch
er upon the ground. crawled in and
lay down. He stretched out his arm
toward the child. 1t was an uncon-
scious action. but Major Howard not
cd it. and detaching the small arms
from about his neck, he placed the
little girl in the stretcher. The little
head dropped upon the lieutenants
arm. As the ambulance men picked
up their burden two soldiers came out
OF the hut. carrying something In
blanket. They carried it to the CEN
80 Of the clearing and set 1t down
beside q hole which had already been
dug.
He carried a pass signed by LII
said Wallace to the major.
Major Howard's eyes contracted in
to narrow slits. He nodded. IL have
it," he answered.
II wonder who he was?' said Wal
lace.