Roanoke Rapids herald. [volume] (Roanoke Rapids, N.C.) 1914-192?, 1921-03-18

The
Soldiers Bride
By HAZEL SMITH
20. 1891. Western Newspaper union.)

20. 1921. Western Newspaper uRion.)
Impossible! !" shouted old ColOns
Saunders, chewing at his steel-gra
mustache; and for the first time dun
ing forty years Of active service h
actually trembled. The horror Of thi
was more overpowering than the his
Of the Moro bolos when, drunk wit
bhang, they closed In upon the skir
mish line. "lmpossible!" he muttered
and sank back into his chair.
Outside the hot sun Of the Philip
pines burned the parched land, send
Ing its sc0rching rays into the white
washed house In which he sat. Upol
the table In front Of him his orderl,
had placed a closely typed documen
Of five pages. 1t was the findings ol
the court.martial which had sat on thu
preceding day. 1t had passed sen
tence Of death upon a certain william
Gilfoy for having Joined the Moro
forces and fred upon his former com
rades. II Colonel Saunders affixed his
signature to the document the death
sentence would be carried out-not 9
year hence. nor month hence, nor
day hence, but now.
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 barrack
yard. where grim post, like an enor.
nous carpenters square set upright,
creaked as the executioner tested the
mechanism Of the trap.
His sweetheart! mAttered the
colonel again. Il can't see her-I
won't see her, Walters. Tell her"
May l come in2'' inquired gentle
vslce outside. and q girl entered--a
typical American girl, such as is to be
met In thousands In the little towns
and villages Of the New England
states.
II am Miss King" she said, smiling
happily at Colonel Saunders. Il sup.
pose William has told you that-that
we are to be married here. now that
his term has ended" A slight blush
suffused her face. But they told me
In the barracks that Mr.. GIlfoy had
gone to Manila to meet me there" she
said. 1T seems dreadful mistake,
doesn't 1T"
Inwardly the colonel blessed the
forethought Of his mem
"But | am so glad that he has
served his country with honor. and
has come safely through these terri
BILE dangers" Miss King continued.
He was-well, little wild. But he
has redeemed himself. as l knew he
would. Congressman Lathrop-" she
hesitated. Then, seeing the colonels
look. and mistaking 1t, she continued:
HE told my father that William
would be safe under your care, Colo
mel Saunders. That is what everyone
says about you at home"
In the brief moment that elapsed
before he answered her thousand
thoughts rushed through the coloners
brain. A minute ago he had actually
dipped his pen into the Ink prepara.
tory to signing the death warrant.
Now the act seemed impossible. He
thought Of Gilfoy-he had been Wild,
but good and brave soldier. conspic.
uous In many engagements until the
devil Of loneliness that was eating out
his heart summoned the drink devil
to his aid and the two together fud-
died the boys brains until he turned
traitor and disgraced the regiment and
bis country.
He might have saved him by a few
kindly words.
Excuse me, Miss King" he said
abruptly. "Pray be seated. will be
back In a few minutes"
Inside his cell william Gilfoy was
seated beside his cot, staring vacantly
through the bars at q wisp Of blue.
When the colonel entered he started
rs man awakening out Of dream.
The colonel sat down beside him upon
The plank he'd.
"Gilfoy." he said quietly. "your
is here"
Gilfoy looked hard at him.
"She hasn't been toldT" he said i'm
)assively.
mot yet, Gilfoy."
The boy smiled bravely. II think
I would be best to have 1t done as
loon as possible" he said. "But, sir
must she knowT
"She shall never know" answered
he colonel. Then he bent forward
md took the boys hand in his.
"Gilfey," he said, "you have taken
10 life. It was not you who betrayed
7our country-Ait was your devil. A
.avalry troop leaves for Santos this
,vening. You will accompany It and
here take the train for Manila"
Gilfoy half rose, and suddenly sat
l0wn again and burst into tears.
II ought to die" he sobbed. "She
will never"
"She will never know anything" the
,Olonel answered, completing the SEN
ence. He called to the jailer.
"Private Gilfoy is pardoned." he
aid. Bring him his uniform and set
lin Free"
eyes. Miss King, you will have to
70 back to Manila" said Colonel
saunders five minutes later. 'If we
lad known you were coming-well, we
night have made different arrange
nents. There will be a cavalry troop
eaying for Santos, the. terminal, to-