The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1877-09-28

would fight till he fell, never forgive an
enemy nor desert friend. He had had
numberless chances of promotion, but
had always refused them, saying that he
preferred the ranks to the shoulder
straps. and had rather do the fighting
than order somebody else to do it.
During the two or three years he had
been with the Mississippi Rifles he had
made but one friend-one in whom he
ventured to repose any confidence. Bert
Williams, with his happy-go-lucky,
devil-may-care face, seemed the last
person whom such a man as Glen At
wood would have selected as chum
nevertheless, there had sprung up a
friendship between the two that babe
fair to prove lasting. Many were the
times they had saved each other from
certain death on the battlefield, at the
risk of their own lives, till, Mt the time
our story opens, there was nothing pos
sible that one would not do for the other.
At his companions exclamation Glen
had smiled family, at the same time
saying, in an equally low tone
"Look at them, Bert; they seem un-
certain whether to come on, stop, or go
back"
1t was true. The Mexicans had ex-
pected to be fired upon as soon as they
came within range; then, before the
Americans could reload, they intended
to dash upon them. What, then, was
their establishment at the silence in which
they were received From a gallop,
they let their horses come to q walk but
not motion was made along the Ameri-
can lines. They seemed utterly obliv-
ious of the close proximity of the foe.
The Mexicans were dumbfounded.
Slowly they approached, until at last
they halted within eighty yards of the
opening of the terrible V.
In an instant the Colonel gave the
command and his men took deliberate
aim. The first volley swept away the
Mexican's front The next moment
Shermans guns opened upon them with
grape and canister. For moment the
Mexicans were bewildered, then, with
cries of horror and despair, wheeled
their horses, and fled in the utmost con-
fusion.
"Whoop hoorayl" yelled Bert Will
Jams, dashing forward in the mad ex-
element of the moment in pursuit of the
enemy.
"Back, you fool !" shouted one of the
officers.
But he might as well have talked to the
whirlwind. Over the dead bodies OF the
Mexicans rushed Bert, intent only on
the foe before him.
On reaching a safe distance, the Mexi-
cans turned, and for the first time be-
t held Bert several instantly dashed for.
2 ward in pursuit. Bert stopped, stared
, at them for second, and seemed to real
: ize the situation for, shaking his fist
t at them as parting salute, he turned
: and started toward his friends at a run,
e which, if possible, exceeded the speed
2 with which he had left them. 1t was APP
e parent to all that unless speedy aid was
| given he would be captured; this, however
a could not be done without endangering
a the safety of the whole regiment, which
G the Colonel did not feel authorized to do.
9 The chase was watched IN breathless
interest by friend and foe; the Americans
not only wished to see the Mexicans
: fail, but all-or nearly all-had per-
/ sonal feeling for the fugitive, who had
endeared himself to them by that reck-
less gayety and abandonment of manner
4 too often seen in the soldier of fort
2 une.
( On the other hand, the Mexicans, who
! felt sore over their recent defeat, saw q
chance of retrieving their fortunes; for
? they had concluded, on seeing the inter
5 est with which the fugitive was regarded
by his friends, that he was a person OF
some consequence.
? Suddenly all were astonished to see q
! figure rush from the American lines
toward the nearly-exhausted Bert II
l was Glen Atwood. He had watched the
S race until he saw it was utterly impossi-
BILE for his chum to escape; then, as he
D afterward expressed it, he concluded to
/ "put finger in the pie. "
= :" Put in your best speed, Bert" he
t yelled, as he bounded forward.
{ " Hang their-impudence - was the
only answer he received.
: BY this time the Mexicans had arrived
within few feet of the flying Bert. while
: Glen was yet some distance off. A mo-
s ment later Bert was surrounded, and in
| less time than it takes to write bound
firmly to the back of q vicious mustang.
Leaving him in the charge of one of
[ their number, the rest spurred on toward
Glen, hoping to catch two birds where
they had expected but one The latter
parsonage, however, had no thoughts of
t escape; he had but one object in view
{ which was to liberate Bert. Hardly
had the Mexicans left their prisoner
when he dashed into their midst; at a
single bound he was in the saddle of
| one of their number-the former occu-
pant, a moment later, feeling himself
flying through the air with an indistinct
idea of earthquakes and battering- rams.
Before the Mexicans had recovered
from their surprise at this unexpected
movement, another of their number had
"bit the dust" or, in plain English,
been taken by the shoulder and sent to
repose in bed of thistles by the road
side.
"By Jingo!" yelled Glen, "Why
don't ye wake up9 Take that p at the
same time, by a quick, sharp pull Of the
bit, making his horse rear and throw out
his fore-legs in such a manner as to send
a too-forward Mexican spinning from his
| ooIl1a