Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1919-01-03
CHAPTER XIV.

The three officers who had brought
IN their verdict, and the fourth, Of
high rank, who had passed the SEN
tence, stood rather stiffly at the door
OF the little headquarters village house,
watching Mark rs, with hands chained,
he was marched away by two armed
guards toward the jpil.
When he was out Of sight they un.
boht.
"D---n I'll said one.
MY sentiments" answered another.
"what do you thirk, McKinnon?"
Il don't want to tcink about it."
'Tf II had been some tough who had
got roped into the army--a gunman or
that sort-but-"
'well, II the fellows n gentleman,
why did he do III He must have
known"
"And. after all, he might have been
respited for the blow. but the gross
cowardlce--"
~ don't see that. The blow was
WORSE than the covardice. A new
hand, between the lines at night, HIS
first night-Kellerman shouldn't have
sent him"
II don't follow you there. Kellerman
had known the man in the U. S. and
wanted to give him chance to redeem
himself"
At nightfull Mark was sitting in his
cell. He had eaten. he had composed
himself TO meet his end according to
the traditions of his caste and rnce I;
but he could not meet 1t calmly. He
had deliberately flung everything
away; he had let Kellerman goad
him TO madness; he was going to
die without even the soldiers satis-
fnction Of duty honorably done. And
he could not compose himself.
Suddenly he heard the outer gnte of
the prison click; then came the sound
OF voices, footsteps, woman's swish
ting skirts; Eleanor and Colonel How
ard stood at the barred entrance with
the guard.
Mark rose from his bed and stood
staring at them; he could hardly be-
lieve them real The guard unlocked
the door Of the cell. Eleanor shrank
back against the corner of the ma.
sonry, her kerchlef to her lip, her face
chalky white. Suddenly she started
forward. The Colonel whispered Q
word, she brushed him aside as If she
had not heard him. Her arms sought
Marks neck and found 1t. She pressed
her lips to his.
Captain Mark Dear Captain
Mark |" she sobbed.
And, holding her closely to him, ant
forgetting Howard's presence and ev
erythlng else, Mark found his peace
Colonel Howard was trying to calm
her, 10 nssuage her frantic grief. A
last he persuaded her to sit down. H'
took Mark by the arm as II he were
child, and placed him beside her.
mark, my dear boy-Mark, 1 heart
of It only FIVE minutes ago." he said
Il had to spend the night here. anC
eleanor had got leave to meet me. Nv,
just learned the outlines of 1t. In
trying to get the General. Yes, yes,
know he refused this morning, but h,
didn't know. I'm only going to ask fo
a respite till l can see him personally
Al Will NbAAC OuN AlknA- ANOW le.
me. Mark, what happened? How die
Kellerman meet you? Why did yol
strike him? l don't ask about tn,
charge of cowardice, because tha
tsn't worth speaking about. I'll settl,
that with the General-I haven't for
gotten Santiago. But about that blow
Mark-how did 1t all happen7 Tel
me exactly, so that I"
II was unlike Iisc old Colosicl t.
gabble so fast. Perhaps he was afrniC
Of breaking down.
''Can tell the General. Now begin
Mark. Tell me from the beginning.
But Mark did not open his lips. An,
before Colonel Howard could resum,
eleanor had sprung up and face,
Mark eagerly.
Nov, Captain Mark, lIstenI 1
you've never listened to me before
listen now r. she cried. II know yol
sSen't golns to ten the Colonel IT.