The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-05-04

formed the face of the opposite hill, and
was leaping from rock to rock amid con-
tinuous shower of bullets.
"By George! he'll get him as sure as
shootin'," the captain muttered excitedly
to himself, shading his eyes and leaning
forward.
'.Now, now, he's getting bead on him.
He's''-
The CHASTITY man in citizens clothes had
rested his old fint-look on a projecting rock
and was taking careful aim at the man in
the tree.
The captain held his breath. The sharp
shooter had singled out another victim at
the battery-indeed, it was the captain this
time, but the captain did not know it.
Meantime the battle had condensed it.
self at three or four points and the noise
of it was terrific. The earth was quivering
and the air palpitating, as the conclusions
followed enc another SO closely that they
often appeared to collide and rebound back
and forth like great elastic balls of sound.
conical shell struck large oak tree in
front of and far below the battery, burst
ing at the same instant. The tough body
of the tree was split into long splinters and
about and quiyered in the smoky air like
thin flames of dull fire. There was q
charge, mere momentary rush, with great
yelling. down on the left; then farther
away and on the right an enfilading battery
was opened, its bowling shot filling the air
with new terror. The captains duty
fascinated, watching the man with the old
rife.
The sharpshooter in the tree took aim
with grim carefulness. The pallid man be-
hind the rock shut one eye and looked with
the other to see the silver foresight of his
old gun settle low in the notch of the iron
hindsight. Both pulled trigger at the same
instant.
How long does it take a rifle ball to 60
400 yards? Nearly two seconds perhaps.
How long does it take for it to go 60 yards?
The twinkling of an eye.
The captain saw the man in citizens
clothes fire. At the same instant down fell
the sharpshooter.
"Ha, ha, hap laughed the captain, but
just then the sharpshooter's bullet CAME to
its goal. It struck hard and the captain
staggered. His loud laugh ended in a
strange cry. A lieutenant came and took
hold of him to support him, but this officer,
too, was hit through the neck at that in
slant. The two wounded men Rrappled
and leaned heavily against each other. 1t
was horribly touching scene, that bloody,
last embrace.
Then it was that OVERLOOKING the hills
and sweeping across the valley and up the
hither slope the enemy came, charg-
ing in compact lines, their flags waving and
their bayonets flashing. At the same time
fianking column stormed with yell up
the hill to seize the captains battery.
They are coming" said the wounded
lieutenant.
Grape and canister" muttered the dying
captain, and he added something about de-
pressing the guns.
At the head of the assaulting column
came the pallid man with the heavy rifle
| and citizens dress. His long. clammy
hair streamed in the wind. He came as Il
blown along by the fierce breath of the men
behind him.
The guns were depressed at once, hurting
such deluge of death against that col
umn that it appeared to burst into
| smoke and fragments. But one mar
| was left to come on up the hill te
| the battery's mouth. He walked with q
strange, mechanical gait, stepping stiffiy
swiftly, with his white face upturned some
| what and his eyes staring like dull stones.
The captain, wavering and weak, pointed
| and said:
! "That is dead man." and the lieutenant
beginning to sink, shuddered, and in heavy
whisper responded:
Eyes, dead-dead."
All along the line the shock of the charge
was terrible. The general saw his army
| at the point of destruction, as the enemy
began to breSk over the works here and
| there. The flag of the centre, where his
| bravest and best men were stationed, haG
fallen three times, and now it is going dowr
again. He saw the turning point, and II
| that desperate moment he spurred his horse
and rode into the thickest current of the
battle with his hat on the point of his sword
He reached the standard just as CHASTITY
dull-eyed man in citizens clothes grasped
i and Rssa i Aish-