Dodge City times. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1876-1892, 1889-05-16
CAPTAIN TRAYLOR.
The Story of a towards
Death.
NBROSE BIERCE,

II shall break down! I shall break
down."
These words kept repeating them
selves in the mind of Captain Traylor as
he stood at the head of his company.
The regiment was not engaged. 1t
formed part of the front line of battle,
which stretched away to the right with
visible length of nearly two miles
through the open ground. Both TANKS
were yelled by woods. A hundred
yards in rear was a second line; behind
this the reserve brigades and divisions
in column. Batteries of artillery occu-
pied the spaces between the crowned
and low hills. Groups of horsemen-
generals and their stats and escorts,
and field officers of regiments behind
the colors-broke the regularity of the
lines and columns. Numbers of these
figures of interest had field-glasses at
their eyes and sat as motionless
as statues, stolidly scanning the
country in front; others came and
went at slow gallop, bearing orders.
There We're squads of stretcher-b bearers,
ambulances, wagon trains with amuni-
ton, and officers servants in rear of all.
OF all that was visible, for still back of
these, along the roads, extended for
many miles all that vast multitude of
non-combatants who with their various
impediments are assigned to the inglor-
ious but important duty of supplying
the fighters many needs.
From his position at the right of his
company in the front rank, Captain
Traylor had an unobstructed outlook
toward the enemy. Ahalf mile of open
and nearly level ground lay before him,
and beyond it an irregular wood, cover
ing slight ACTIVITY; not human be-
ing anywhere visible. He could i'm
agine nothing more peaceful than the
appearance of that pleasant landscape
with its long stretches of brown fields,
over which the atmosphere was begin
ming to culver in the heat of the morn
ing sun. Not sound came from the
forest or field-not even the barking of
dog or the growing of a cock at the
half-seen plantation house on the crest
among the trees. Yet every man in
those miles of men knew that he and
death were face to face.
Capt Traylor had never in his life
seen an armed enemy, and the war in
which his regiment was one of the first
to take the field was two years old. He
had had the rare advantage of a mill
tary education, and when his comrades
had marched to the front he had been
detached for administrative service at
the capital of his State, where it was
thought he could be more useful. Like
a bad soldier he protested, and like a
good one obeyed. In close official and
personal relations with the Governor of
his State, and enjoying his confidence
and favor, he had firmly refused pro-
motion and seen his juniors elevated
over him. Death had been busy in his
distant regiment; vacancies among the
field officers had occurred again and
again; but from chivalrous feeling
that wars rewards belonged of right to
those who bore the storm and stress of
battle he had held his humble rank and
generously advanced the fortunes of
others. His silent devotion of principle
had conquered at last; he had been re-
lieved Of his hateful duties and ordered
to the front; and now. untried by fire,
stood in the van of battle in command
of Q company of hardy veterans to whom
he had been but name, and that name
eby-word. By none-not even by those
6 hiD bgotheg oliceEs in whose favor