The Big Sandy news. [volume] (Louisa, Ky.) 1885-1929, 1921-03-25
The
Soldiers Bride
By HAZEL SMITH
). la2l. -Mestern Newspaper Unionl

"Impossible" shouted old Solonei
Saunders, chewing ut his steelgray
mustache; and for the first time dur
ing forty years Of active service ne
actually trembled. The horror q inns
was more overpowering thap the hiss
of the Moro bolos when. drunk win ,
bhang, they closed in upon The sEir-
misll line. ,.llnpossible.' he muttered,
and sank back into his chair.
Outside the hot sun OF The Phiiip-
pines burned the purched land, send
ing its scorching rays into The White
washed house In which he sat. Upon
the table in front of him his orderly
had placed closely typed document
Of i've pages. II WAS the innings Oh
| the court-martial which had sat on the
preceding day. IL had passed sen
| tence of death upon certain William
| Gilfoy for having joined the Moro
forces and fired upon his former com
rades. If Colonel Saunders afiixed MS
1 signature TO the document the death
sentence would be carried out-not
year hence, nor u month hence, nor
day hence, but now. Z.
There was death In The quiet air, IN
the hushed expectancy of the camp
in the rows Of white-washed cells in
The barracks also, and IN the parrNcA
yard, where grim posi-. ike an enor-
nous carpenters Square sci upright,
creased us the eXecutioner tested tue
i mechanism of the trap.
@His sweetheart Y muttered the
colonel again, Il cant see hef-i
Won't see her, Walters. Tell her---
May come in?" inquired gentle
y voice outside, and a girl entered-a
typical American girl, such AS Is to De
met in thousands in the little towns
and villages of the New Ensiahu
states.
II am Miss King she said, smiling
/ happily at Colonel Saunders. i sup
nose William has told you that--that
Ne are To be married here, now thai
his term has ended A slight blush
suilused her face. But they told me
in the barracks that Ar. aisfoy haa
/ zone 10 Manila 10 meet me there, she
] said III seems a dreadful mistake,
I doesn't It'll"
Inwardly the colonel blessed the
! forethought Of his men.
4 But | am so glad that ne HAS
o served his country with honor, anu
{ has come safely through these terri
o bic dangers" Miss King continued
e .'He was-well, little wild. But ne
has redeemed himself, as ! knew ne
! Mould. Congressman Lathropj she
l besitated. Then, seeing the enpanei
h look, and installing i, she continuous y
A.. He told my father that William
would be safe under your care, Colo
y mel Saunders. That is what everyone
!, says about you ut home.
3 In the brief moment that eiapset
.e before he answered her Thousand
% thoughts rushed through the coiohel
ie brain. A minute ago he had actual!
y dipped his pen into the ink prepare
d tory to signing the death warrant
y Now the act seemed impossible. IA
il thought OF Gilfoy-he had been Wiz
i but a good and brave soldier, consple
We nous In many engagements untit IN
ne daril III loneliness that was eating GU
"a his heart summoned the drink dew
o. 10 his aid aud the two together iuu
died the boys brains until he turne
- traitor and disgraced the regiment an
of his country.
a He might have saved him by FEY
ne Kindly words.
d Excuse me, Miss King" he sal
abruptly. Pray be seated. VIII .
mi back in few minutes.
CHI Inside his cell William Gilfoy wa
Sc seated beside his cot staring vacant
e; through the bars at a wisp OF blu
W. When the colonel entered he starte
as man awakening out OF drear
The colonel sat down beside him upc
ar: the plank he'd.
,et "Giifoy,n he said quietly. "yo'
be sweetheart is here
ny Gilfoy looked hard at him.
-n .She hasn't been told?" he said II
,e- passively.
the mot yet, Gilfoy."
The boy smiled bravely. u TIM
az It would be best to have It done
zen soon as possible he said. But, SIT
ose must she known
"She shall never know answer
.els the colonel. Then he bent forWa
and took the boys hand IN his
'Gilfoy," he said, you have tax
no life. 1t was not you who betray
~, your country-it was your devil.
pril cavalry troop leaves for Santos q
is evening. You will accompany It q
for there take the train for Manila"
GIlfoy half rose, and suddenly
TINS down again and burst into tears.
~ II ought to die he sobbed. :
on will never"
on "She will never know anything
g to | noionaI answarad comnleting the 8