The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-10-20
CHAPTER XIV.
,Lp Is OFFERED A COMMISSION.

AS soon as lAdA AN~-o--S~ N@AS
hospital, the trooper who had accompanied
her took her to the surgeons quarters. The
.tficer on hearing that lady wished to
,,aak to him, at once came out.
u am Mary Armstrong" the girl said, as
she slipped down from the horse. Il think
NV father is here, wounded. He came up
in the wagons the day before yesterday, l
believe"
80 yes. he is here, Miss Armstrong. l
bod him put in one of the officers wards
that is otherwise empty at present"
"How is he, doctor|
eWel. l am sorry to say that just at
nreseut he is very ill. The wounds are not,
/ hope, likely to prove fatal, though I'M
doubtedly they are very serious; but he is in
a state of high fever-in fact, he is deliri-
ous principally, 1 think, owing to his anxiety
about YOU: at least so gathered from the
ofs;cer who brought him in, for he was al
ready delirious when he arrived here.
II can go to him, L hope"
"Certainly you can, Miss Armstrong.
Yonr presence is likely to soothe him. The
ward will be entirely at your disposal.
congratulate you most heartily upon getting
on of the hands of the Katfirs. Mr.. Nolan
told MS of the gallant attempt which a
sergeant of the Cape Mounted Rifles was
going to make to rescue you, but L don't
think that any one thought he had the
shadow of a chance Of success"
HE succeeded, doctor, as you see; but he
was wounded to-day just as we were in
sight of the town. They are bringing him
here. Will you kindly let me know when
come in aud how he is"
81 will let you know at once, Miss Arm
strong; and now l will take you to your
father"
One of the hospital orderlies was standing
by the bedside of Mr.. Armstrong as his
daughter and the surgeon entered. Tn epa
tent was talking loudly.
II tell you will go. They have carried
off Mary. l saw them do 1T and could not
help her, but will go now"
Mary walked to the bedside and bent
down and kissed her father.
Il am here, father, by your side. I have
got away from them, and here lam to nurse
you."
The patient ceased talking and quieter
expression came over his face. Mary took
his hand in hers and quietly stroked it.
That's right, Mary" he murmured; "are
the bars of the cattle kraal up? See that
all the shutters are closed, we cannot be too
careful, you know"
II will see to it all, father" she said,
cheerfully; "now try to go to Sleep"
A few more words passed from the
wounded mans lips, and then he lay quiet
with closed eyes.
THAT is excellent, Miss Armstrong" the
surgeon said; 1.-The consciousness that you
are with him has, you see, soothed him at
once If he moves, get him to drink little
of this lemonade, al | will send you in
some medicine for him shortly
"How are the wounds, doctorW
so, | think the wounds will do,n the
the surgeon replied; so far as | can tell, the
assegai has just missed the top of the lung
by hairs breadth. Two inches lower and
it would have been fatal. As for the
wounds in the legs, / doA't anticipate much
trouble with them. They have missed both
bones and arteries and are really nothing
but flesh wounds, and after the active
healthy life your father has been living,
do not think we need bs uneasy about
them"
In half an hour the surgeon looked in
again.
'Sergt Blunt has arrived, E" he SAID. "You
can set your mind at ease about him; it is
a nasty cash, but of no real Importance
whatever. l have drawn the edges to-
gether and sewn them up; he is quite in
good spirits and laughed and said that q
WOuud LII UuC OdCh COOlQ oCdICOlJ D6 CdIl61
an honorable scar. can assure YOU that in
ten days or SO he will be about again"
would you mind telling him." Mary
asked, that l would come to see him at
once, but my father is Holding my hand so
tight that l could not draw it away without
rousing HING
r Il will tell him." the surgeon said so.
here is the orderly with your medicine, as
well as your fathers"
The orderly broughtin tray with bowl
of beef tea and glass of wine.
You will take both these, if you please.
Miss Armstrong, and | will have the other
bed placed by the side of your father, SO
that you can lie down with him holding
your hand. You are looking terribly pale
and tired, and do not want you on nv
hands, toon
The tray was placed upon the table within
Mary's reach, and the surgeon stood by and
saw that she drank the wine and beef tea
He and the o. derby then moved the other
couch to the side of Mr.. Armstrong; bed,
and arranged it SO that Mary could lie down
with her hand still in her fathers.
Now" he said, 81 recommend YOU to 90
off to sleep soon. am happy to say that
your father is sleeping naturally, and it NAV
De hours before he wakes. When he does so,
ne Will be sure to move and wake you, and
The sight of you will, if he is sensible as [
expect he will be, go a long way toward his
cure"
Capt. Twentyman, when he returned in
the afternoon from a reconnaissance that he
mad been making with a portion of the
troops, called at once to see Ronald, but was
told that he was sound asleep, and so left
word that he would come again in the morn
ing
The news of Sergt. Blunt's desperate at
Tempt to rescue three white women who
had been carried off by the Kaffirs had
When reported by Lieut.. Nolan, been the
SUBJECT of much talk in the camp Every
one admitted that it was a breach of disci-
pine t4us to leave the party of which he
was In command when upon special service
out no one seemed to have seriously blamed
MN Tor this. Admiration for the DARING
actlon ana regret for the loss of SO brave a
soldier, for none thought that there was the
slg test chance of ever seeing him again.
overpowered al other feelings. Mr.. Nolan
stated that the sergeant had told him that
one OF the three women was the daughter
vi the wounded man he had brought in with
Elm, and that he had known her and her
4ather before, and it was ge orally agreed
tnat there must have been something more
than mere acquaintance in the case to in
uuce the sergeant to undertake such des-
perate enterprise Great interest was there
IOre excited wnen upon the return of Lieut..
Danlels' party it became known that he had
iallel IN with Sergt Blunt and young
Lady, ana that the sergeant was severely
wounded. All sorts of questions were
asked the lieutenant.
s,, len toone she's pretty, Daniels, " a young
suoalterI said.