News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1891-10-29

| anu UlS ugly, observation-disclosures SbteuS Ol
the camel corps moved forward with
ungainly step. The wells of Aboo
Klea are within sight. and Sir Her
| bert Stewart, who marched nine days
ago with ,50Opicked men across the
desert to reach the Nile and thence
to press on to Khortoum, feels that
his mission will be successful and that
Gordon will be speedily relieved.
So does Capt. Jack MACPHERSON of
the Egyptian army, attached for the
present to the camelry, as he sails
along on one of the ships of the
desert.
''This is an unseaworthy ship, and
as it tosses more than usual he eiac-
ulates:
"Ugh, you brute, if there is an Arab
on wheels | will trade camels." With
this he looks forward to the rocky
defile by which the route lies, and
sees fluttering above q ledge an Arab
banner. For an instant he looks at
it through his field-glass, and then
rides in haste back along the ranks.
A word in Sir Herbert's ear. The
troops are halted and zareba is in
Irocess of formation when with beat
ing of war drums and discordanty yells
that remain unanswered-for the
throats of the men are too parched
and thirsty to hurrah-a great body
of Arabs starts from the underwood
around the entrance to the defile, and
headed by many standard-bearers,
rushes in upon the British square.
OF the fight for life in that square,
and the determination with which the
there is 'RBTleeutGU bgElfa kII1le IgaPks.
by. went down, fighting gloriously,
and many another brave man beside
him, history records.
With utmost GOODNESS, for he has
been through many such scenes, Cap
tain MACPHERSON, after the first rush,
picks up the rife of the dead soldier,
unclasps his cartridge belt, and plugs
away steadily at the nightshirt bri-
gade, as the soldiers have nicknamed
the Arabs from their long white robes.
But see! what change is this in his
face as the foe forms in a compact
mass for another rush? And listen
to the request he makes to the men
around him:
"Dont shoot within a dozen yards
each side of that banner" he says in
such tone of voice that the soldiers
look up in surprise and see white,
set face.
"Let them come right up before
YOU fire." he adds, land wait till l
give you the word. You'll agree to
that, wont you, Roberts? It's mat
ter of life and death" This to the
officer in command of the company.
"Matter of death to us all, think,
if you don't speak in time," growled
Roberts, frowning at the advancing
dervishes; but have your way"
MACPHERSON makes no answer; the
pallor on his face increases; now it is
ashy gray as the Arabs rush in on the
square. OF all the oncoming hun
dreds he sees only two men-One the
standard-bearer and beside him q
young fellow, wonderfully light o
skin for an Arab, and, with a cap or
his head instead of the usual tangled
headdress of creased hair worn by the
dervishes.
Kneeling as the Arabs come within
fifty yards of the square he takes de
liberate aim. A flash. and at tn,
same instant the Standard bearer falls
prone to the earth. The fair-faceC
Arab seizes the banner and rushes tC
the front. Another shot and he too
falls. In a voice that rings above th'
din of the battle MACPHERSON gives
the order to fire, and the Arabs, met
by a volley at such range, stagger
and through the smoke are seen tC
fall back few PAGES. Instantly Mac
Pherson rushes out from the square
and before his comrades or the enemy
have time to interfere he is again il
the midst of his comrades. but bear
ing in his arms the young Arab, who
still grasps the banner he pluckeC
from the young leaders hand.
The Arabs, nightly thinned in tha'
last brush, fall away. The fight il
over and the men crowding rounC
, MACPHERSON, who is bathing tn
wounded Arabs thigh where his bul
: let entered, ask what it all means
/ Roberts, who is under the impres
: sion that the banner was the priz
l coveted by MACPHERSON and that hi
, care for the Arab is an afterthought
2 remarks that the game was hardl'
| worth the candle. But MACPHERSON
looking up for moment, says, point
, inc to the wounded Arab:
: MY brother"
1 Instantly the men, most of whom
have heard the story of the colonel
4 bereavement, crowd around tn
$ stretcher. Sure enough the resem
/, blance can not be disputed.
5 "See," says MACPHERSON, becoming
: less constrained as the intense strait
: of the last few minutes is relaxed, :"
: can trace on the back of his righ
e hand the outlines of an anchor. Ire
n member when he put it on he was
l.. very small cub. His hand looked a
n if it was poisoned, he came and got m
e to scrape most of the ink out agaiT
/ That is why the mark is so faint
Roberts, send n man out there t
n bring in the big fellow | shot. Tha
e was Aboo, and think you will find
B, bullet in his head"
s. The last words are spoken faintl.
}. and MACPHERSON falls back into I'll
is arms of a soldier. Where he stoo
there is a pool of blood, and on e,