The L'Anse sentinel., 1921-04-22
CHAPTER xvlI-continued.


game. you blighter, you might ave
lived for your bally country" Mother
jerks reminded him In English. "Won-
der IL the beggar'll wilt or will e go
through smilin' like my sainted Emery
on the syme spot"
She need not have worried. II re-
Quires a strong man to be dictator Of
a roman candle republic for Is years,
and whatever his sins Of omission or
commission. Sarros did not lack anil
NAL courage. Alone and unattended he
limped away among the graves to the
wall on the other side of the ceme-
tery and placed his back against IT.,
negligently. In the attitude Of devil
may-care fellow without q worry In
life. The sergeant waited respectfully
until Sarros had finished his cigarette; !;
when he tossed 1t away and straight
ened to attention, the sergeant knew
he was ready to die. At his command
there was sudden rattle Of bolts as
the cartridges slid from the magazines
into the breeches; there followed mo-
mentary halt, another command; the
squad was aiming when Ricardo Ruey
called sharply:
Sergeant, do not give the order to
fire."
The rifles were lowered and the men
gazed wonderingly at Ricardo. Hes
too brave" Ricardo complained.
I'D him. I can't kill him as / would
a mad dog. I've got to give him a
chance"
The sergeant raised his brows ex-
pressively. All, the ley fuga, that pop
ular form Of execution where the pris-
oner is given a running chance, and the
firing squad practices wing shooting.
/ II the prisoner manages, miraculously,
! to escape. he Is not pursued!
A doubt, however, crossed the ser
geant's mind. "But my general" he
expostulated, "Senor Sarros cannot ac-
cept the ley fuga. He is very lame.
That is not giving him the chance your
Excellency desires he should have"
81 wasn't thinking of that" Ricardo
replied. II was thinking I'm killing
him without a fair trial for the rea-
son that he's so Internally ripe for
the gallows that trial would have
been a Joke. Nevertheless, / am real
ly killing him because he killed my
father--and that is scarcely fair. My
father was a gentleman. Sergeant, Is
your pistol loaded?"
"Yes, General"
"Give II to Senor Sarros."
AS the sergeant started forward to
comply Ricardo drew his own service
revolver and then motioned Mother
jerks and the firing squad to stand
aside while he crossed to the center of
the cemetery. "Sarros," he called, II
Sm going to let God decide which one
Of us shall live. When the sergeant
gives the command to FIRE, shall open
fire on you, and you are free to do the
same to me. Sergeant, II he kills me
and escapes unhurt, my orders are -
escort him to the bay in my carriage
and put him safely aboard the steam
err"
Mother jerks sat down on q tomb
stone. Cords truth" she gasped.
''but there's rare plucked 'un." Aloud
she croaked: "Don't be bally ass,
sir"
"Silence !" he commanded.
The sergeant handed Sarros the re-
volver. ''You heard what said2" RI
cardo called.
Sarros bowed gravely.
''You understand your orders, Ser
YeantT
"Yes, General"
"very well. Proceed. II this pris-
ioner fires before you give the word.
have your squad riddle him."
The sergeant backed away and gazed
owlishly from the prisoner to his cap
tor. READY" he called. Both revol-
vers came up. "Fire" he shouted,
and the two shots were discharged ST.
multaneously. Ricardo's cap flew OF
his head. but he remained standing,
while Sarros staggered back against
the wall and there recovering himself
gamely, fred again. He scored clean
miss. and Ricardo's gun barked three
times; Sarros sprawled on his face,
rose to his knees, raised his pistol
halfway, fired into the sky and slid
forward on his face. Ricardo stood be-
side the body until the sergeant ap-
preached and stood to attention, his
attitude saying:
'It Is over. What next, Generalfs
''Take the squad back to the arsenal,
Sergeant" Ricardo ordered him coolly.
and walked back to recover his uni
form cap. He was smiling as he ran
his finger through gaping hole In the
upper half of the crown. ~
"Well, Mrs. Jenks." he announced
when he rejoined the old lady, shat
was better than executing him with Q
firing squad. I gave him q square deal.
Now his friends can never say that I
murdered him."
He extended his hand to help Moth
er jerks to her feet. She stood erect
and felt again that queer swelling ef
the heart, the old feeling Of sufrcca-
tion.
sSteady, iassi" she mumbled. .'Old
on to noe. SIR. It's my bally haneurism.
Cor Pm m-chokin'->-~
He caught her in his arms a. she
lurched toward hims Her face was
purple and In her eyes there was .
queer fierce Ifght that went out sud