Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1921-10-29

and almost, 81 1t Sermed IN ~ c0nol.
ton OF restricted heartbeats' when
we knew not whether we were gotng
to take the heroic or the cowatdly
course-to fight or not to fight ~
Then the die was cast. Sir Ed
ward Grey announced the monlentous
decision in the house OF commons
and the way in which the Immense
event affected me most closely. was
in Uncle Ralph's going back, only a
week or two later, to rejotn Ms old
regiment.
1 was not at al able to fathom the
| Uncle Ra phi of these, the last days
in which I saw him. In come inde-
scribable way he had changed from
the Uncle Ralph whom l used to know
and love. l loved him just as we'll
still, but I felt that I understood him
| far less we'll. His had always been
such a very simple and open as well
as very lovable character. But now
there was something secretive and
Withdrawing about it. It was not that
he love me lesS-I was quite sure OF
that-and he was just as kind to me
as ever, but there was something be-
tween US. 1 could not define it. but
I was keenly aware Of it.
So he went, with a very ahectionate .
Goodbye" to me, and with him went ;
Granger, that creature Of the In
scrutable face n tanner, absolute !
ly inscrutable and absolutely devoted
to my uncle as ever.
And all the. while Captain Wharf,
probably a gallant soldier for all his
sins, and one who should have been !
Of value to the empire lay in prison.
condemned to the last penalty. He;
I had given notice. as l understood, OF
appeal to what is called the court Of
criminal appeal, and that would delay
execution Of his sentence in any CASE
until the judges sat again-Whfch, 7:
believed, would be IN thea autumn
1t is not necessary that l should
try to speak here Of deeds that are
f~lamdngly inscribed on the scroll Of
to no less than the salvation Of the
worlds liberty-of the Contemplate
little army" OF that contemplate
fraction uncle was a unit, n some
where in the neighborhood Of Mons.
that Gods acre of heroes, he met,
what it almost seemed as IT he must
have gone out especially to seek, hds
death. ~ ~e taf hi,
He had done, 20 the tale dribbled
one, there another, poor wrecks o.
broken humanity themselves, more
than 1t had seemed possible for "a
mar to do. After a days fight, in
which he had exposed himself with
out fear, as all had gone he would
insist on going out no once, but again
and again into that No Mans Land,
where the stricken lay dying and the
bullets still came searching for any
survivors. to bring into the hall OF
death, and thrice he came homo
through it death1ees, each time re-
turning with his burden Of a wound
ed man rescued from death.
In spite of the prayers Of his fell
low officers he went a fourth time
and did not come back, and. his
death vas mercifully swift, ending a
life which had not been 50 merclful
to him. Granger had been killed
! at an earlier hour of the Same day,
otherwise. I really think that in de-
fiance Of all discipline, he would
probably have attempted to restrain
his master by sheer force.
The day after that on which the
Official announcement was made of
uncle'e death, and, incidentally, Of his
recommendation for a p~osthumous'
Victoria Cross l had a visitor whom
I had hardly expected that 1 should
ever 9 asain-Sergeant Crisp.
His pepper and salt coat Of protec-
tive ooloring, seemed to fit. him an
creaselessly az ever, yet after a few
~overtures Of COMMUNICATION with me
on Uncle Ralph's death. mingled. with
congratulations on its heroic manner,
he unbuttoned his coat and produced
from its breast pocket a long envel-
ope. I saw that it had the seal al
ready brokens~.~On the outside was
written in Uncle Ralph's hand: =.
To be opened in the event OF my
death occurring. or any wound or III
rendering me incapable Of action
previously to sentence OF death Vein
carried out ON Captain Wharf"
I knew at once by Sergeant Crisp's
manner that the contents of the envel-
p must be very raw but I was
hardly prepared for the, words which
ne spoke as Q as I had read the
inscription. ~
you were quite right, Miss Carlton,
in your view that Captain. Wharf was
mot the man to commit the action for
which h e was sentenced. I shall not
so readily mdstrust feminine intuition
again"
My Impotence to see the contents
of the envelope was 50 great that I
made no answer to that .
Let me read it." I said.
You must prepare yourself for a
surprise am afraid for a great
SHOCK" he said, as he handed 1t to
me.
had a presentiment, which .chillen
my of what I should find as T
took the envelope, but I said nothing.
l carried 1t with me to the window
seat and began to read. while the SER
geant effaced himself, characteristic
cally, and became invisible and almost
n~on-existent in the depths Of ali, arm
chair.
Concluded Monday Evening.
49, -