Peace Manoeuvres | Page 7

road.
"Don't we know what?" demanded the older Red, suspiciously.
"I forgot," said Lathrop. "I--I must not give information to the enemy--"
For an instant there was a pause, while the two Reds stood irresolute. Then the older nodded the other to the side of the road, and in whispers they consulted eagerly.
Miss Farrar laughed, and Lathrop moved toward her.
"I deserve worse than being laughed at," he said. "I made a strategic mistake. I should not have tried to capture you and an army corps at the same time."
"You," she taunted, "who were always so keen on soldiering, to be taken prisoner," she lowered her voice, "and by men like that! Aren't they funny?" she whispered, "and East Side and Tenderloin! It made me homesick to hear them! I think when not in uniform the little one drives a taxicab, and the big one is a guard on the elevated."
"They certainly are very 'New York,'" assented Lathrop, "and very tough."
"I thought," whispered Miss Farrar, "those from New York with the Red Army were picked men."
"What does it matter?" exclaimed Lathrop. "It's just as humiliating to be captured by a ballroom boy as by a mere millionaire! I can't insist on the invading army being entirely recruited from Harvard graduates."
The two Reds either had reached a decision, or agreed that they could not agree, for they ceased whispering, and crossed to where Lathrop stood.
"We been talking over your case," explained the sergeant, "and we see we are in wrong. We see we made a mistake in taking you prisoner. We had ought to shot you dead. So now we're going to shoot you dead."
"You can't!" objected Lathrop. "It's too late. You should have thought of that sooner."
"I know," admitted the sergeant, "but a prisoner is a hell of a nuisance. If you got a prisoner to look after you can't do your own work; you got to keep tabs on him. And there ain't nothing in it for the prisoner, neither. If we take you, you'll have to tramp all the way to our army, and all the way back. But, if you're dead, how different! You ain't no bother to anybody. You got a half holiday all to yourself, and you can loaf around the camp, so dead that they can't make you work, but not so dead you can't smoke or eat." The sergeant smiled ingratiatingly. In a tempting manner he exhibited his rifle. "Better be dead," he urged.
"I'd like to oblige you," said Lathrop, "but it's against the rules. You CAN'T shoot a prisoner."
The rat-faced soldier uttered an angry exclamation. "To hell with the rules!" he cried. "We can't waste time on him. Turn him loose!"
The older man rounded on the little one savagely. The tone in which he addressed him was cold, menacing, sinister. His words were simple, but his eyes and face were heavy with warning.
"Who is running this?" he asked.
The little soldier muttered, and shuffled away. From under the brim of his campaign hat, his eyes cast furtive glances up and down the road. As though anxious to wipe out the effect of his comrade's words, the sergeant addressed Lathrop suavely and in a tone of conciliation.
"You see," he explained, "him and me are scouts. We're not supposed to waste time taking prisoners. So, we'll set you free." He waved his hand invitingly toward the bicycle. "You can go!" he said.
To Miss Farrar's indignation Lathrop, instead of accepting his freedom, remained motionless.
"I can't!" he said. "I'm on post. My captain ordered me to stay in front of this house until I was relieved."
Miss Farrar, amazed at such duplicity, exclaimed aloud:
"He is NOT on post!" she protested. "He's a scout! He wants to stop here, because--because--he's hungry. I wouldn't have let you take him prisoner, if I had not thought you would take him away with you." She appealed to the sergeant. "PLEASE take him away," she begged.
The sergeant turned sharply upon his prisoner.
"Why don't you do what the lady wants?" he demanded.
"Because I've got to do what my captain wants," returned Lathrop, "and he put me on sentry-go, in front of this house."
With the back of his hand, the sergeant fretfully scraped the three days' growth on his chin. "There's nothing to it," he exclaimed, "but for to take him with us. When we meet some more Reds we'll turn him over. Fall in!" he commanded.
"No!" protested Lathrop. "I don't want to be turned over. I've got a much better plan. YOU don't want to be bothered with a prisoner. I don't want to be a prisoner. As you say, I am better dead. You can't shoot a prisoner, but if he tries to escape you can. I'll try to escape. You shoot me. Then I return to my own army, and report myself dead. That ends your