Page:War; or, What happens when one loves one's enemy, John Luther Long, 1913.djvu/135

DAVE'S BUSINESS "I'm sorry," says Dave. "I didn't know that I could be arrested for it."

By this time all the soldiers was laughing at the fool-officer. And mad! Phew!

For a minute I didn't know whether he was going to run Dave through the bosom with his sword, or not. Then he slaps the other two on the shoulders, put his sword up, and they all laughs like blazes.

"Constantly looking for treason makes one silly about it, I guess," he says to the others. "I got what I deserve." To Dave he says: "I won't arrest you—just yet. I'm rather inclined to shake your hand. I like a man who gets the better of me—and is in love!"

He held out his hand and Dave takes it. But, as he does so, he exposes the newspaper scrap that he has been reading.

"What have you been reading?" asks the officer. "I may not be so far off, after all."

"Nothing," says Dave, indifferent.

But the officer takes the paper out of his hand. 119