Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1885-12-04

ION with the saddle. and shooi
him |"
It was cavalry scout of q score oil
men returning to camp after q rough
ride OF Q hundred miles. Ten miles
away troopers horse had fallen
lame. Voice and spur had urged
him on, but at last be could 90 no
further. He must be abandoned.
Aye, to prevent profit to the enemy
be must be shot.
Poor Jim |" whispered the rider
as he dismounted.
That horse had carried him thous-
and miles They had gone hungry
together, they had shared the danger
of balf q dozen battles. they had stood
picket in company, they were ''pards. /"
Jim. old boy, I'd rather lose an
arm ~ exclaimed the trooper, as be
loosened the saddle.
The suffering horse, relieved Of its
burdens, turned his head to his mas
ter and uttered bis gratitude in low
whinny.
i've got to do it, old boy |" con-
tinued the trooper, as he drew bis re-
volver and held it 10 bis right hand,
while he patted the neck of his old
''pard" with the left. "If they had
ask me TO take bullet in the leg-if
q good, square sabre cut from q
Johnny would save your life, I'd
bend my bare head and take it,
The last of the troop had passed
on Night was shutting down, and
guerrillas lurked in every bend OF the
road.
Jim, old pard, it's orders, you
know" said the trooper, as be strip
ped off the bridle Look down the
road. now, while / send bullet into
your head. It's assassination it's
foul murder-but it's orders. Good
bye, Jim, and may the Lord forgive
me |"
The horse fell like log at the re-
port of the pistol, and without daring
to look back at his victim the trooper
snatched up his accourtrements and
hurried on after his companions. He
was hardly out OF sight when the
horse struggled up. What had hap
pened He shook his head, wheeled
about in a circle, and blew a note of
alarm from bleeding nostrils.
He was abandoned He was in
the enemy's countryl Who bad done
this by faithful servant? BY and
by memory divinely returned. He
had fallen lame-his rider had dis
mounted-he remembered of hearing
kind words and feeling hand caress
bis neck. What then I? He had been
shot down Some hidden guerrilla
must have fired that shot. His rider
his old pard"-would not have
sought his death.
With eyes ahame with fear and
pain-with limb almost useless
with such torture racking bis head
that he could not repress his groans--
the faithful horse searched the road
side for his master; if dead, he would
die with him ! The search was vain.
And he had been abandoned He
bad been over this road several times.
He remembered every bridge and
bill and turn. 1t was miles to the
Union lines, but be would drag him.
self to the pickets before death came.
With slow and painful steps-with
the darkness rendering his road more
gloomy-with a fOreboding that the
hand which had fed him so long had
given him his death wound at last
the poor beast dragged himself along,
and the night wore on.
Hat Who comes there 2"
1t was the challenge of picket
His quick ear had detected the sound
OF feet on the highway
Here at last This was the goal
the beast has striyen for. He stood
stock still as the challenge reached
bis ears but only for a moment. Then
his last remaining life, he
rushed down the hill and full at the
picket.
Halt Halt Turn out the guard |"
It was too late to stop the riderless,
limping horse outside the lines, but |
as be passed within them half q dozen
blazed forth ia the darkness,
and he fell forward and died without |
. groan. The men of the picket
gathered around. They understood
that it was an abandoned horse,
which had dragged himself into the
lines.
"Too bad, isn't it 7" whispered the |
grim old sergeant. And every man |
felt that be was almost guilty Of MUIR
der.