The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-11-01
Today's Short Story

fury through the heml0ck forSr on DOtn sides of the mountain above them.
 Amid it all the boys endured the s!hi: of their suffering companion. They were hurt most of all by their utter inability to help him. It was ter rible night. These men who had come up into the mountains to dominate over the denizens of the animal retreat through their superior mental and technical equipment, found themselves pitiably combating two irresistible forces the clements and death.
 The one raved wildly an the outside, every moment threatening to dash away their feeble shelter, and piling higher and higher the cold white evil dence of its passing; the other, with grim empty arms, crept steathily into the tent and then stole out again, but not with empty arms. He, too, left behind the cold white evidence of his passing.
 The morning found the three sad dened men clearing away the snow about the tent door. The albright fire had kept a small space free from snow, and this was soon enlarged enough to enable them to move around and get some breakfast. But nobody wanted any. Only an occasional subdued word was spoken. Smoky at last put the thoughts of all three into words.
 We've got to face the truth, boys. The Mexican can't come after us. We will do well to get out of here in three weeks, if at all. But even when we go we can't take him with us. Guess we'll have to bury him up here, won't weT
 And this was their sad task. They worked their way through the five-foot snow to a spot a short distance from camp and began the' ring of the grave. Their only tools were small trench shovel and an ax, but late in the afternoon they had succeeded in making rough grave. Into this they laid the blanket-shrouded body of their late friend. Then without a questioning voice they placed beside him the rifle which he had used as a sniper in France and to which he had stub- bornly clung, in spite of regulations. when they were being discharged.
 When nothing remained to be done but to fill in the earth, the boys stop ped, looking from one to the other. Not one could put into words what he felt, and each hoped that the others would do what he wanted done. Per haps never in their lives had they de- sired the presence of minister until this moment. Now he seemed the most essential being in all the world.
 | They were aware of the outward re- 1 quirements at least of a Christian burial, and they felt that they could not cover up Holly's body without a proper conservation to the God of whom they had never known. It is doubtful if any of their number had ever ut tered a prayer, and certainly none had ever really prayed. Their helplessness in the night of the storm was nothing compared to this. The awful night and the passing of their friend had talk en the matter entirely beyond them and each now struggled vainly for evi- dences of that divine supplement to mans life that all men instinctively know to exist somewhere, somehow. With bowed heads they waited by the side of the grave while the darkening twilight gathered about them.
 After an interminable time, 1t seemed, Hank decided to make move. Smoky had always been the spokesman for the crowd, and to him he appealed.
 Smoky, can't you-say somethingF' | he finally forced himself to say.
 But Smoky replied not word. All his talk had never brought forth word fitting to be spoken at this moment. The painfully embarrassing situation created by his continued silence was at last unexpectedly broken by Don. Don had never been much of talker and what he had said had not been noted for it's piety. Nevertheless, he began to pray, and with his halting words hot tears flowed from the eyes Of the three kneeling men.
 Great God" he began brokenly, Eve don5t know anything about this. But we want you-to know-what we think of Holly. He was not-a bad-sort a good man-in lots of ways. All we ask is that-you will give him-a chance--when he-comes back to you.