Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1918-11-01
J. Chapman

asked. "Good! 1 didn't know you
were a family man, though, till I saw
this kid sleeping in your arms"
you've been inside?" inquired the
lieutenant, looking toward the shack.
The majors face grew very serious.
He nodded.
'Her father" said Wallace.
"Come, get In with you'll" answered
Major Howard, curtly, indicating the
ambulance. Mark. supported by the
orderlies, who had placed the stretcher
upon the ground. crawled in and lay
down. He stretched out his arm to-
ward the child. 1t was an unconscious
action, but Major Howard noted it
and, detaching the small arms from
about his neck, he placed the little
girl in the stretcher. The little head
dropped Upon the Iieutenant's 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 center of the
clearing and set it down beside hole
which had already been dug.
HE carried a pass signed by Lii
nares," said Wallace to the major.
Major Howards eyes contracted into
narrow Sits. He nodded. II have it."
he answered.
81 wonder who he was2" said Wal
lace.
"Wen decide what to do with the
kid after we get her back to camp"
said the major curtly. 1t seemed to
Wallace that he was unwilling to
speculate upon the identity of the dead
man. ''Lie still, and don't muddle
your brains with thinking, my boy" he
added. We'll have you at the base
hospital in next to no time"
| How many men have we lostT'
"Can't tell you. Quite a few, Pm
afraid. Soames is gone. Crawford
and Murray and found ourselves
punched together at the top of the hill,
leading q mixed company Of Texas
Rangers and Pennsylvania Dutch.
Well get them sorted out and 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 meu
moving over the hillside, stragglers
seeking their regiments, or fatigue par
ties detailed upon the necessary night
work that follows a day of death. Ths
moon shone down on huddled form:
scattered for the most part in little
clusters, where shells or machine-gun
fire had caught them.
1t seemed an infinitely long journey
and every movement Of the stretchel
was almost unbearable. Wallace shu
his lips tight. He looked at the Chile
beside him. She moved in her sleep
feeling for his neck with the uttl,
grimy hands. Her cheek snuggIed int
the hollow of his arm. The lieutenan
was curiously touched by this uncou
scious confidence.
He issued from his ordeal of pain a
last, when the bearers halted in from
of ths line of tents that served for
fielG hospital. Stretchers by the doze
were piled about the ground, and NOR
were arriving constantly. Wounde
men, guided by the sound, cam
limping in on the last lap of thei
painful journeys. Others, who had al
rived but had not yet been attende
to, sat or lay in front of the tents. Oh
derlies were scurrying to and fro. M;
jor Howard caught one of the reg
mental surgeons, who looked Mar
over quickly and then picked the chill
out of the stretcher.
"Hello! Who's this2" he asked.
"Friend of his" said the major, Ii
dicating Mark.
"She doesn't look like Cuban youn
lady," said the doctor, as he cut ava
the sleeve of the tunic.
= "Her fathers dead. Hit by a she
on his way from Santiago. I think /
was an American" said Mark.
"Give her to me. never had one
said the doctor, suddenly injecting
hypodermic into Marks arm.
5 "Not after that" said Mark, win
ing. Besides, I'm thinking of adop
9 ing her myself"
And he wondered what had mao
him say that when the thought he
n hardly reached his own consciou
ness.
, "See here. young mani Let me loo
e. at that arm Of yours before you ia
e that way. HumI You'll be runnir
round in q couple Of weeks, as well
e ever"
'e "Thank heaven for that r. ejaculatt
le Mark fervently. 'Then I'll be In
IL the DEATH"
Il 81 doubt 1t. won't pass you