Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1921-09-15

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teilznl ki<luk'is had fought Ike q
leader " heroes. Drawing death q
dozsn lilases lFosn the splteful Filr
piao bullets that Kissed overhead
get. filon1is fssan after man had flslen
Ia the sAlnnusg ranks, he was un-
scafhed- And the more be sought
death the harder IL seemed to die.
With q mere handful Of the seventy
nine who had been cut OF from the
main forces By the cunningly con-
triyed ambuscade. Richards had fal-
len back upon = hin, one VI those
smooth. isolated hills that emerge
here and there In the northern region
OF Luzon. There. hard pressed, the
little remnant of Squadron b were
holding their own against the enemy's
marksmen. waiting for the arrival Of
the relief column from Santa Cata-
lima 1t was strange how it seemed
to Richards as he lay on his face In
the clustering sunlight. HIS mind went
travelling back 70 other scenes, other
days-t0 that last day In Washington
before he sailed away.
He had sat all the cool afternoon
with Lucy Greaves on the porch OF
the club house. Lucy was an old
sweetheart OF his boyhood.
On that last afternoon he had asked
her to be Is wife, to wait for him.
Then Lu< whoin he had never seen
dlseompOsed. broke down and sobbed
In his arms. She was engaged to a
fellow soldier. whom she loved, NO
longer. But the traditions Of her
family forbade her to break with him
She did not tell him the name. But
Richards had imagined that 1t was
some officer he knew.
The memories vanished with the
sudden cessation OF the kissing above
them. Richards knew what that
meant. The enemy was preparing to
charge. They came upward, and.
finding that the defenders made no
reply, swooped in with q Zest, flags
flying. keen, razor-edged bOlOs flash
ing back the light % the declining sun.
Next moment 1t was hand to hand.
a AGtt ~ EGGk1Gu-
the fighting was fierce. Then the
attackers were sullenly retiring and
the besieged drew q little closer to-
gether.
Richards stopped and raised q
= knded man at his side. He knew
fnim-Sergeant Hutton. one Of the re-
cruits.
Sergeant, I'm going to put you be-
hind this rock" said the lieutenant.
Hutton was fumbling at his throat.
He opened the blood-stained tunic and
disclosed a little locket Of gold. ''Open
IT," he whispered. Richards obeyed
and found himself looking upon the
face Of Lucy Greaves.
''She gave 1t TO me-" the sergeant
whispered. "We were to have been
married the day before / sailed. 1t
was postponed at the last moment, till
I came back. II die you'll carry my
love to herr"
Ell tell her." he said. "But you'll
pull through Sergeant. Now lie still
behind this rock and walt till the re-
lief arrives"
A wild yell burst forth from beneath
the hill. re-echoed from 500 threats.
The FilipinOs were charging again.
And this time they charged home.
Suddenly. far down me valley, the
clear notes OF q bugle srang through
the air. Then, over the stiffness OF
the afternoon came the faint sound Of
jangiing bits.
SNOw. men," Lieut.. Richardson
shouted, each OF you take a wound
ed man on his shoulder and retire
down the trail. III stay here and COW
er you until you reach tis. road" And,
stepping behind the rock, he seized
the rifle Of the wounded sergeant, and,
crouching over him, began pumping
bullets into the ranks OF the enemy,
and then, catching up the wounded
sergeant. crept down the hill. II was
whole minute before The natives
discovered that he was gone. "weH
pull through, SergeantP' be shouted
cheerily to the man on his back, and
stumbled onward. A yell. frem the
ridge answered him and q renewed
volleying. Then s-sss! a re1-hot wire
seemed to be pressing AGAINST the
lieutenant's arm, and, lo0king down
richards saw that the pale yellow of
his coat was turning a brlght claret
color. Zipi That one MINED him
across the cheek. Gradually adelirium
took Possession Of him. The sky. the
earth. the trees spun round I'm. He
seemed to be I'm Washingto4 again,
seated at Lucy's side. under kae oaks.
Only the thought Of her sustaI led him
for a few yards more. Then, q6zfe sud-
denly his legs crumpled bene4zh him
and he reeled and fell forward. Eucy's
face was shining out OF the b mess
Of night
Tell her IL wish you an HappI-
ness, Sergeant" he muttered.
Out OF the profundity ID rDse
through q region peopled by s5eegres
70 consciousness Of his surrouf II1lEs.
He was lying I'm a bed and a maA ii d
white linen suit was bendins ever
him.
~weIlr he said. you're dol ~
mously now. Wen have you @annd
IN short order. Captain"
Captain /"
"Ah, you haven't seen the Gnzzffe.
That was q special order OF the fxc<I-
dent. And they're talking about 1he
congressional medal for you"
"But-Sergeant Hutton?"
"Ah. poor fellOwi guess vail
have to know. Captain. You had ter
carrying q corpse from the first. He
was hit by a bullet Just before #pn
picked him up. and must have dsed
Instantly"