Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1889-08-01


down the trench side by side, for it Was
ride abreast.
We rushed on in silence. / cIu'ched
the reIns tightly with one hand and with
the other 1 held my sabre. The Arab
was unarmed and 1 would take him
alive, I thought, and lead him back in
triumph to Suakim. This all passed
through my mind in an instant and then
we gallOped round the curve and saw our
prey il full view before Us. He was
struggling along painfully and linn ping
as though one leg was hurt. The moon
shown fUll upon MIN and to my surprise
saw that he carried great shield and
one of those enormous double edged
swords which these Arsbn use with such
terrible effect He had doubtless found
them in the trench.
We called upon him to surrender, but
ne never even turned until we we're close
upon him, when he suddenly whirle1
around IN desperation and confronted Us
meDacingly. We drew our sabres and
dashed upon him.
Just here, extending full across the
trench, was a rugged depression, caused
probably, by an exploding shell.
This We failed TO see; and while Fra
ser's horse leaped It CALAMITY, my animal
stumbled and fell, ana down went, part
: beneath him.
tried to rise but my ankle was badly
sprained, and with cry of pain dropped
down behind the horse. Then / forgot
everything in what | saw going on be-
fore me. The Arab had retreated against
the wall and was fercely keeping Fra
ser at bay. The swords FLASHED until the
sparks few, and Fraser's heavy strokes
were intercepted by the Arabs leathern
shield.
They fought on in silence and in the
moonlight saw the Arabs terrible face,
the eyes sparkled with hatred and the
white teeth olenehed in deadly determin-
alton. Clash after clash rang on the
night air. Suddenly Fraser spurred on
his horse and dealt a fearful blow at the
Arabs exposed head, but quick as flash
the great sword flew up, aud the short
sabre striking full and forciby against
the awful edge, broke off close beside the
hilt and lay shining on the sand at their
feet. What followed can never forget.
1t will haunt me TO my dying day.
Fraser threw up his right hand, with
the broken hilt, and with the left reached
for his revolver, and, then, as | looked
on, stupid with horror, the Arab raised
his great sword aloft with both hands,
and with all the force of his great
strength he hurled it forward like a cata-
pult,
The cleaning blade flashed the moon
light from it's edge and crushed with an
awful sound through poor Fraser's head,
clesyng It's way through the skull and be
tween the shoulders aud on down through
tAe back, until its point fairly touched
the rear of the saddle.
Split twain from head TO waist, the
poor fellow dropped to the ground with
out cry, and his piunging steed tram
Piled over the body and then galloped in
mad fright down the trench.
Wholly engrossed III this awful scene,
forgo! my own peril and only realized 1t
fully when the Arab brgeing himself
against the wall of the trench, began to
drag his sword out of Fraser's body.
With a shudder l reached for my pistol
and grew faint for an instant when / re
membered that it lay under the morse in
the holster. | was who'll? at the Arabs
mercy. The wretch was still tagging at
the sword and seemed unable 20 loosen it.
II only had my pistol how nicely /
could bring him down.
All at once / saw something glitter in
one of Fraser's ou,stretched hands, and
the sight of it gave me a thrill OF hope
Ii was his revolver, which he had succeed
ed IN grasping just before the blow fell.
If could reach 1t before the Arab
could extricate his sword, | was saved. II
not-Fraser's fate would be mine | grit
ted my teeth, seized my saber firmly, and
rose erect. The Arab saw me, and with
a savage inprecatiOn to Allah, he threw
himself on the sword with terrible eff
fort. Still il uung to Fraser's body, and
then, as l leaped to yard him, forgetful OF
my syraiued ankle and hourished my
sabre feroely, ne grabbed up his shield
and fell back a few yards, keeping on the
defensive. | uttered loud shout to in
timidate him, and then bent over poor
Fraser.
Igrasped the revolver, but the dead
mans hand was closed on 1t with a grip
like iron, gave a strong pull and then
another, and just as the stiffeued fingers
lOosened their clash, my injured ankle
asserted itself and fell heavily to one
side. The vary Arab was watching his
chance, and before | could even turn he
leaped on me like a tiger and We rolled
over on the sand, spleshing through a
pool of Fraser'a crimson life blood.
The Arab had olutched at my throat
but missed it, and olasping each others
shoulders we houndered about the trench
now one uppermost and nov the other.
With cliuched teeth ana struggling Ior
breath we fought on bitterly, knowing
that one or the both must die, l could
feel the Arabs hot breath upon my neck
and his huge brass earrings Tapped
against my cheeks; l still held the pistol
tightly in my left hand. IL I could only
get a chance TO use it. Very fOolishly !
relaxed my grasp brief second, and in
that ightnug-like interval the Arab
seized the advantage and fastened both
his brawny hands firmly on my throat.
In vain 1 struggled aud stroye TO turn,
the bony fingers were pressing my wind
pipe and the hideous face was glazing in
10 mine with a hooking smile,
/ was choking, sufocaung sense
was leaving me.
Musr die tbnss II was horrible