Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1927-02-04
1T WAS
THE LUCK
OF WAR
Copyright by W. q. Chapman.I
ICopyrIEht BY W. q. ChRpmAh,l
((T he sentence Of this court 70
that you are to be shot at
daybreak."
By H. M. EGBERT

ludC you dT6 10 Us bnOI dl
daybreak,"
The young English officer
spoke to the young German, caught
within the British lines without uni
form. Such an offense carries only
one penalty with 1t In warfare. The
spy is too dangerous man to be
dealt with in any other way.
The German smiled ironically. The
sergeant in charge Of him conducted
him to the guardhouse, but not be-
fore he had cast a meaning glance
at Lieutenant Denis, who had commu-
nicated to him the courts decision.
All the while the court martial was
being held a German big gun was ham,
mering away at spot behind the
British lines. 1t was a 42-centimeter
howitzer, and was being fred appar-
emily under the belief that some vital
line of communication existed there.
And the shells had been exploding
nearer, each with devastating up
rush Of soil and tree trunks.
The night wore away The prisoner
in the guardhouse heard the gun play
ing without cessation. He had nerved
himself to meet his fate. He had no
fear, for that was the lot Of a cap
tured spy. Nor had he sense Of In
justice But he knew that Denis
would come.
Denis came at four o'clock when he
returned from duty He found the
prisoner waiting for him, smoking on
the bunk.
"Well, KraussT' said Denis.
II was expecting you" said the
other. Lord, Denis, what world
away we are from Montclairw
Denis nodded and gulped. at was
hard thing to have to do, although
we were not exactly the best of neigh
bors at Montclalr,' he said
Krauss waved his hand deprecat-
ingly. II am glad It was not my fate
to have to do 1t to you" he said do
you remember when we used to run
Tor the New York train In the morn
fngsf"
"And we always walked home to-
gether at night" said Denis.
Eyes. That was when we were
good nelghbors. What pity you ever
mortgaged that piece Of property to
mel"
IL had to raise some money quickly
for business purposes" said Denis.
"And had to foreclose," answered
Krauss. "Your business ventures
were not successful"
"They would have been II you hadn't
llshman. But what's the good of
thinking over those things now2 This
beastly war finished me. You know
my business interests were largely
with England. had to enlist-should
have done so anyway, though. Got
my commission after our first fight. I
wonder what my wife"
He checked himself and the Ger
man looked at him curlously. $50 you
are married." he asked, evidently
pleased with the news. II should
have been by now. But Kitty Loft
promised to wait for me when sailed.
That was three months or so before
you left, wasn't it1 She'll walt for
me till the end If .time-that girl.
Denis, I want you to write a note to
her informing her"
He broke off, for the first time filled
with evident emotion Denis nodded.
EN- let her know" he said.
"Do you know, always thought you
cared for Miss Loft" said Krauss,
watching the other strangely. "Of
course I regarded you as something OF
rival until learned that she cared
for me. Whish -
The exclamation was caused by
SCATTERING explosion from the big gun.
A sentry came to the door. TITS
knocked down the camp command
ants house, SIR" he explained.
"YesT inquired Denis, rising. He
stretched out his hand TO Krauss.
'I'll see you in the morning." said
Krauss, with CHASTITY humor.
Denis left him. Krauss paced his
cell, smiling. He had loved Kitty de-
votedly, and, though she had promised
to wait for him, he had little fear
that Denis well, Denis was
married, and there was no fear now
Sometime they would meet again,
Kitty and he, in that land where all
good things come true.
At six o'clock the guard came for
him. He was led few PAGES away
from the guardhouse, to where a file
Of soldiers was drawn up. Their rifles
were held In their hands at the slope.
Krauss and Denis nodded.
"NOl" said Krauss, as the sergeant
began to fasten a white handkerchief
about his eyes. "I'll take It with my
eyes open" he said.
The sergeant looked at Denis, who
nodded The rifles we're raised.
Krauss stood facing them. At that
moment his face was singularly calm.
"Whee-ee-ee !" sang a big shell from
the distance. Denis was waiting for
It to fall before giving the command
to fire. The sound came nearer and
nearer. Suddenly the air was filed
with flame. terrific din was In their
ears. Krauss was raised high In the
air and flung down bodily into the
grass
Slowly the sulphurous fumes died
away. Krauss opened his eyes. Where
the guardhOuse had been there was
not even the fragment Of structure.
And where had been the rolling
meadow was only a deep, barren pit,
still full Of dust and smoke.
Out of the smoke hands breadth