Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1926-05-21
lncor toward his cousin. prevented

rancor toward his cousin, prevented
sleep.
He heard cock crow in the dis
lance. The hOmely sound suggested
forage. He got to his feet, then stood
still, petritied with horror. For in
the grazing light. swarmlng up the
hillside like ants, he saw the enemy.
A shell whirred through the tree tops,
bursting almost at his feet.
The next moment guns were pop
ping like firecrackers. officers rushed
here and there, roaring orders which
nobody needed or heard.
For the hillside had become "a death
trap. Resistance was useless. They
were outnumbered, ten, twenty TO one.
The one thing was to save themselves.
Boots, cloaks, guns, were abandoned
In the retreat that was rout, and In
the midst Of which Adolf Strelchen
his knees gone suddenly useless, al
most doubling beneath his weight
Stretched out, less than six feet In
front of him, was his company's flag.
He shuddered. Another minute and
the useless rag would be trampled UNI
der the feet Of the enemy, 1t and he.
Still he could not move.
Something struck his ankle. brought
him to his senses. He reeled back
ward with a yell Of despair. He was
shot-no, that thing at his feet Is the
barred saber of Fritz Won Pau, who
has seized the flag and is waving it
aloft.
Ali That fool, Fritz, is down now.
on his knees, buk the flag is still in
his hands, Haunting Its colors in the
very faces of the shrieking horde
swarming the hillside-black men,
with cleaning white teeth, wearing
the uniforms of English soldiers.
"Adolfp'
What was there In that single word
that sent the blood romping, rioting
through the veins of Adolf Strelchen,
turned his muscles from jelly to steel,
found him a-straddle his cousins
PROSTATE form, fighting with his sword,
his dubbed rife, striking out madly,
shouting like demon, words that
were but half ineligible, words that
ran like subterranean stream be-
meath the noise of the contlctf
"I1l show you the stuff Of man I"
His blade sent black fend reeling
"Pll show you, Fritz Won Paul"
Thrust A black man on his face, a
wound gaping in his throat "Sneered
at me You'll see now the stun I'm
made Of" The sword, broken short
at the hllt, had found an enemy's VI
tails. "Tm saving your life now, curse
you, giving my life for yoursl" Thud
Of a rifle butt wrenched from fall
ing foe, and another man down!
Shrugged your shoulders, called me
coward, did your Colt! I'm saw
ing your life, that's what Fighting
them twenty to onep' Thud thud
A bullet tore through his forage
cap. The blood In his eyes was blind
ing him. But what Of it2 He could
still swing his gun, and he was show
ing his cousin, Fritz Won Pau, favor
tie of that bag. fortune. verdammt!
Showing him That's what he was
doing. And he had not yielded foot
an inch He was giving II to them
the devils-though his llfe-blood
spurted from dozen wounds. lie
was fighting on his knees now, drunk
with the lust to kill--kill-whle
Fritz Won Pau was alive to see. lie
was showing Fritz at last, fighting
eye to eye with the black fends that
surrounded him. What did he care
that the rest of the detachment had
retreated w&h the enemy hot at its
heels? He was showing Fritz Won
Pau! Single-handed he was holding
back dozen beasts Of hell
His senses reeled. His head fell for
ward on his neck. They'd cut him to
bits Swarm over him. He no longer
cared. He had shown Fritz. Sneered
had he, and shrugged his shOulders2
Strange vengeance this. For he had
shown Fritz Won Pau, verfucht shown
him at last
Adolf Strelchen opened his eyes
Somebody was holding water to his
llps-and those black devlls-where
had they gomez Away In the distance
there was the sound of cannonadlng
but here among the trees where mo-
ment before he had faced those
Only he wasn't among the trees. lie
was no longer on the ground with Fritz
Won Pau under him. There were blan-
kets and pillow and-What was the
chill thing under his fingers2
With an effort he lifted II. "The
iron cross |" His voice rang out In a
piercing cry: "Frltz Won Pau's iron
cross"
How did 1t happen to be there In
his fingers?
From what seemed to be a great dis
tunce away, he heard Fritz Won Pau,
speaking.
ITS yours, Adolf, to be buried with
your
Another COVE murmured something
that sounded like, Greater love hath
no man"
Love! How strange the word
sounded. He wished he had the
strength to tell them 1t was not love
but hate. But he was too tired. His
eyes were heavy. 1t was very hard to
breathe. But the sore spot In his heart |
was no longer there. For the first |
time since he could remember, lie |
would sleep with no torment Of envy |
in his soul He caught his breath. |
His fingers closed cOnvulsively over |
the Iron cross.
They drew the blanket up over his
face. The gray Of the sky warmed to
golden and rose. Day had broken.