Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-11-30

word of command, "dismouut, sound
lug cienr IN the om!pous silence, ana
, again chesred his comrades they ran
up on foot TO fire the huts. His voice
Was drowned by q :rem sudous yolley as
the hidden Zulus suddenly poured in
their fire. and for moment th- troopers
| wareTed in tQce of the prlting han of
, bullets. Then q tall officer 3iane
recognized DiArcy-aHvunCpd with reg
uiatiou stride, and paused before the
! center hut. mark 10 the enemy The
| bullets struck about his feet, but the
7 commandant needed them not, and pro-
ceeded TO ill his pipe. This done, he lii
| g match on the sole of his boot, pulled
out few Willis and applied the nearly
burnt out match 10 the dry thatch, while
his men. encouraged by bis cOoluess,
I faced the storm.
/ The colonel, II few yards in advance,
to get clear OF the driving smoke,
studied the po-ition of the enemy with
/ his quick eye, but could see no opening.
/ A. he stood. the dust was thrown uD be-
! tween his feet by Il we'll aimed bullet.
"Here, nv man, he said to his
| orderly, 'leuG me your rife minute. -
There was sharp crack, loud cry
! from Zulu and the ride was handed
/ back with the remark: THAT fellow
/ should have aimed better -
| A few officers gathered about the
, colonel persuading him to try and carry
the position hy q charge.
''Weu, geniiemen-if I held that
mountain, | would defy brigade TO
disiodEe me without Euus--but if your
men would Ike TO make an attempt,
well and good. lie, two companies Of
the Light Horse protect the right aud
! left wings. Advance!
Blaine saw the uen spread out in
skirmlshiaS order and charge up the
rocks-but, at the same time. he noticed
the Iulus slipping away from the center
10 strengthen the nOrus.
when the troopers poured up over the
rocks there was not Zulu 10 meet them,
| but while they looked about voice rang
out in trumpet tones, giving an order in
Zulu, and SWAIN of black warriors
closed in nj n rush from right and left,
overlapping the TANKS. They were held
back for moment by the TWO COM
panirs, then they rushed in.
Amongst the rocks the heavily booted
troopers were at Il disadvantage. They
could have held the position only nj the
loss of their horses, aud The order to re-
tire WIS given. There was one sharp
collision, series OF fierce hand to hand
fights and the troopers regained their
chargers They mounted and charged
upon their foes who melted away, and
again formed up behind the rocks. The
men would have dearly liked another
brush. but the colonel, having proved
the hOpelessnpss of charge against a
willy foe in such Il position. would waste
no more men or ammunition.
The Zulus left their retreat with mock
ing cri-s and shouts of jill (rictory) and
some of them rushed off towards the
smouldering ashes. Looking to gee what
was the object of their haste. Blaine dis
covered n wounded trooper crawling
along OF hands ana knees. This man
seeIug he vas pursuei, turned slowly
round rested his carhine on an anthi!l,
and dropped the leading Zulu in his
track. The others, however, rushed on,
and it was evident Il few seconds would
see the end of the tragedy.
Blaine looked towards the slowly re-
treating column to see if help would be
afforded, and N the same instant an Of
rcer turned his head TO look back.
In second his horse shot out from the
ranks and swept up. Blaine felt his
heart 60 10 his mouth. as lie watched the
race. His eves glanced feverishly from
the leeping stride OF the Zulus TO see the
rush of the horse. The distance which
separated the rescuer from the wounded
man was treble the distance which lay
between him and the Zulus, but the
horse magnificent black charger,
swept over the ground like the wind.
The horse was first at the spot, but
his terrific speed carried him by, and
the Zulus letting him pass, rushed on 10
their victim. THIS man, however,
meant TO die hard. \ bullet from his
cerbne dropped another Zulu and he
faved the others with his revolver. A
they puusen TO make the final rush the
horse and his rider swept down upon
them again, aud the sharp crack of the
revolver made them look 10 their safety.
The rider rose in his stirrups and hurled
his pistol AZ the hend of one Zulu, who
fell like log, then with his sword ne
fought like demon, his mighty strength
forcing the guard OF his enemies, who
came thicker and thicker from the main
body. Now he sprang from the saddle,
lifted the wounded man 10 his vacant
seat, and with his hand on the stIrrup
ran by the de Of his horse through the |
thick of the enemy, who thrust at him
with their spenrS.
Escape for either seemed impossible, |
but with ringing hurrah the lnncers |
charged 10 the rescue, Drury Lowe on IL |
small yellow pony at their head, and |
after short struggle the Zulus rushed |
back 10 their retreat before the thunder |
of the great horses.
The !anrers closed around the gallant |
trooper aud the man he had saved, and |
Tetreated in companies of four to the !
lively sound of the bugle, two com panies |
with lancers erect anu ready ALWAYS |
facing the enemy. II was a fine spectu- |
Gle, but il had It's sad aspect III the load !
which one charger bore. the lifeless body |
of the Rdjutant shot dead in the charge. |
Blaine gaze was fixed on the retreat |
ing force with strange look on his fnce. |
He hai forgotten about his own desper-
ate position, and was thinking of other |
matters, for in the rider of the black |
horse he had recognized Capt. Daiston, |
and Miss Rath's father III the rescued |
man.
CHATTER SXI.-AN ALARM.
"See here. Dick-if there's any |
charge against me, why in thunder don't |
they bring il, stead of letting me NOPE
around, like a sick bar in cane
brake?' Cob Rowe had been forgotten
in the CONSERVATION caused by the death