Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1891-11-10

mination. Clash after clash rang ON the
night air.
Suddenly Fraser spurred on his horse
and dealt fearful blow at tho Arabs
exposed head, but quick as flash tho
great sword flew up and the short saber
striking full and forcibly against the aw-
full 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 hapd, 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 desperate strength
he hurled it forward like catapult.
The cleaning blade flashed the NOON
light from its edge and crushed with an
awful sound through poor Fraser's head,
cleaving its way through the skull and
between the shoulders and on down
through the back, until its point fairly
touched the rear of the saddle.
Split in twain from head to waist, the
poor fellow dropped to the ground with
out a cry, and his plunging steed trampled
over the body and then galloped in mad
fright down the trench.
Wholly engrossed in this awful scene,
I forgot my own peril and only realized
it fully when the Arab, bracing himself
against the wall of the trench, began to
drag his sword out of Fraser's body.
With shudder reached for my pis-
tol, and grew faint for an instant when
remembered that 1t lay under the horse
in the holster. l was wholly at the
Arabs mercy. The wretch was still
tugging at the sword and seemed unable
to loosen 1t. If only l had my pistol
how nicely could bring him down.
All at once saw something glitter in
one Of Fraser's outstretched hands, and
the sight of it gave me thrill of hope.
It was his revolver, which he had sue
ceeded in grasping just before the blow
fell.
II I could reach it before the Arab
could extricate his sword I was saved.
II not-Fraser's fate would be mine. /
gritted my teeth, seized my saber firmly
and rose erect. The Arab saw me, and
with q savage imprecation to Allah he
threw himself on the sword with ter
rible effort. Still it clung to Fraser's
body, and then as I leaped toward him,
forgetful of my sprained ankle, and
foufished my saber fiercely, he grabbed
up his shield and fell back few yards,
keeping on tho defensive. l uttered O
loud shout to intimidate him and then
bent over poor Fraser.
grasped the revolver, but the dead
mans hand was closed on il with q grip
like iron. Igave strong pull and then
another, and just as the stiffened fingers
loosend their clasp my injured ankle as
serted itself and fell heavily to one side.
The wary Arab was watching his chance,
and before could even turn he leaped
on me like tiger and wo rolled over on
the sand, splashing through a pool Of
Fraser's crimson life blood.
The Arab had clutched at my throat
but missed it, and clasping each others
shoulders we floundered about the trench,
now one uppermost and now the other.
With clenched teeth and struggling for
breath we fought on bitterly, knowing
that one or the other must die. I could
feel tho Arabs hot breath upon my neck
and his hugo brass earrings tapped
against my cheeks. / still held the pis-
tol tightly in my left hand. If l could
only get o chance to use it. Very fool
ishly I relaxed my grasp brief second,
and in that lightning like interval the
Arab seized the advantage and fastened
both his brawny hands firmly on my
throat.
In vain I struggled and strove to turn,
the bony fingers were pressing my wind
pipe and the hideous face was glaring
into mine with mocking smile.
was choking, sulfocating-all sense
was leaving me.
Must ] die thus? 1t was horrible.
With fearful effort, the strength that
madness alone can give, twisted the
Arab sideways. Ny left arm was free.
My hand still clutched tho pistol. /
raised it with q jerk. Iput tho muzzle
TO his ear. With the last atom of strength
pulled the trigger, and as the stunning
report echoed through tho trench with
thunderous reverberations everything
grew black and dim.
Attracted by the pistol shot they found
US there half an hour later still locked in
a close embrace. My uniform was spat-
tered with the Arabs blood. Messengers
were sent to Suakim for stretchers, and
while waiting the body Of my desperate
foe was buried where he lay in the
trench, and beside him was laid my
horse, whose neck had broken in the
fall. We marched mournfully back to
Suakim, and the next day poor Fraser
was laid to rest in the English cemetery
on the shores of the Red sea. I've been
In many skirmish with the Arabs since,
but that night in tho trenches outside
Suakim was the closest call ever had,
and as q living remembrance of it ]
have kept that great two edged sword
which split Tom Fraser nearly in hslf
before My very eyes.-Willian Murray
Graydon in Philadelphia Times.