Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1929-02-07
HALTWC THE
FIRING SQUAD
Story of Great War
In Which Fate Deal
Winning Hand

BY DEWITT mAlhENEAn
Copyright. 1929. Associated Press)
IL was midnight and the residents
| Of this little French town in the back
area Of the British war zone had
long been snug in their fo~ur-posters-
There were plenty OF English soldiers
in the place, of course, but the fight
ing was way off TO the west, and
there really wasn't much to disturb
the rural calm.
To be sure. there was the meth
odical "clack, clask" OF sentries' boots
TO be heard in various parts OF the
hamlet But the people had become
accustomed 70 this, just an they IA
t. the stick. took" of b big clocks
IN their own kitchens. As a matter
| OF fact. they rather liked that per-
sistent "clack, clack." 1t was sooth-
ing when one got used to il, and
spelled security
So the village slept. Even the
soldiers, barring the few sentries on
| duty, were rolled in their blankets
and dreaming Of the hollyhocks in
their gardens back home. Head
quarters itself had Joined the seek
crs after rest.
Only Sentry Smith at headquar-
tiers knew that all was not as quiet
q. il seemed. and that there was at
least one burner of midnight oil.
AS he swung back and forth, the
sentry could see a tiny CLEAN of yell
low light through the heavily cur
I ined window Of the ~colonei's Of
flee.
The "Old Man. apparently was
still at work. and the sentry won
dered what il was all about. Maybe
this military unit was to be moved.
Had Sentry Smith ben able to see
within the c~olonel's room, he would
have found that the Old Man was
keeping a sentry beat Of his own. In
tie dim light the grey haired COM
mander was pacing back and forth,
hands clasped behind him and chin
on chest.
The colonel was troubled. &c
nothing to do with the progress OF
the fighting up in the lines. Just
one of those minor problems which
sometimes are more difficult than
the big ones.
Private Tommy Atkins was 10 be
shot at dawn. One Of the lads the
colonel loved like sons. From time
to time the Old Man glanced ner-
vously towards the mantel where the
clock was racing 10 meet sunrise.
Dash that clock; why did il &c 80
fasti Just a few fleeting hours and
.hen-dawn; a firing squad; a pale
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