The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-07-13

ones skin. Go ahead. You will TAX
Sid; he will guide you. If you ar,
wounded or captured let the dog go; h
will get there unless bullet stiffens hin
out"
And, tearing leaf from his memoran
dunn book, the lieutenant scrubbed thes,
! few words in pencil:
"Have fallen into an ambush. Com,
if you can. You have only to follow
| Sid. There is no time to lose"
He signed the note and fastened it Il
the dogs neck with piece of gilt core
torn from his tunic.
The sergeant opened the door anc
slipped out, preceded by Sid.
Another half hour passed. The zouavel
discussed in low tones the probabilitie:
of success. 1.-The sergeant has passed,
said Bayardet. 1--WE are saved" These
words had scarcely left the lieutenant
lips when few shots were. heard two Oh
three hundred yards away. Evidently
the sergeant had been making a long
search for an opening; he had been seen.
But had he succeeded? An exciting ques
ton which each one anxiously asked
himself. Five or six minutes later there
was another little volley, but farther of
than the previous one.
There, that is for Sidi," growled Bay
ardet. "The sergeant must have been
caught. If they didn't hit the dog, he
must be far awayP'
The time passed with tormenting slow
ness. At every moment Bayardet con-
suited his watch, the only jewel that he
had, and he was painfully surprised to
see that the hands had scarcely moved,
not even the minute hand. He began
to believe that the accursed watch had
stopped, and yet he had been careful to
wind it. Besides, several of the zouaves
had watches, and it was out of the ques-
ton that all should have stopped.
Listen, lieutenant" said an old SOL
der with beard that was almost white
and who had won his stripes, "we can
not mold here any longer. Ny comrades
agree with me; they had rather catch
bullets than the rheumatism. Let US
start!"
''Silence in the ranksI" replied Bay
ardet.
But he was choking with anger and
dying with anxiety. To make the time
pass quickly he paced back and forth in
the sort Of barn, an asylum which had
become prison, swearing between his
teeth, grinding the soil under the heels
of his boots and biting his lips until they
bled.
The sergeant and Sid had been gone
an hour, which made two since the you
ayes entered the howell and three since
the accommodating party left the camp.
Bayardet, tired Of tramping, sat down
on stump, took out his watch again,
held it in his open hand and did not take
his eyes off the dial He had just al
lowed himself five minutes respite, at
the end of which time he must come to
decision. The five minutes having
fallen into eternity, Bayardet replaced
the watch in his fob, blew his nose,
coughed, spat like an orator about to
make speech, adjusted his gorget, drew
his saber, clutched his revolver, and in
muffled tone gave the order:
Fall inr'
The men grouped themselves.
eve will start out" continued the
lieutenant. place yourselves in file,
one behind the other, in the order of Sc
niority. In that way we shall present a
narrower front. We will go straight
ahead without firing and with fixed bay
onets. When we are once upon them
let each fight his way through"
In his turn he opened the door eau
tiously and, turning around, said simply:
Follow mel"
He had not taken ten steps when he
came near falling to the ground from
running against body going at full
speed.
''Sidip
And the dog licked his hands, uttering
little yelps of joy. The animal had no
note fastened to his neck, and the lieu
tenant found by feeling that his friend
had not scratch.
1--WE are surely saved now"
And CLEAN of JOY illumined the cold
and gloomy face of the officer, vino had
never been seen to smile.
Barring the door with his outstretched
arms he stopped his. men as they were
about to cross the threshold. for only two
or three of them had had time to get out
side. From a distance, borne by the
echo, came the shrill notes of trumpets,
getting nearer and nearer.
at is the march Of the regiment" said
Ill the souaves.
Then Bayardet started them all out in
he order he had indicated, and he rushed
ahead.
The musketry began to rattle.
Forward! Forward cried the lieu
enant at the top of his voice and mad
with happiness; ''Forwardr'
The Germans, surprised by this unex-
oected and double attack, fell back rap
dly. The day was dawning, and now
hey could be plainly seen. 1t was their
urn to fly. The little troop passed close
% a group of Teutons.
Haiti Frontr' ordered Bayardet;
'Aim-fre."
And to make themselves known to /
heir friends. the zouaves shouted: ''Vive I
a Francel Vive the Third"
a few minutes later they were with /
heir comrades, a whole battalion that I
lad been sent to release them, and with /
platoon volleys they saluted the Ger
mans, who beat a retreat without an
wering their fire.
From that day Sid was held in high .
honor in the regiment. They swore only
~ him All his former misdeeds were
and though he still stole when
occasion Offerad II was agreed that they