Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1891-10-01
Forward by the right; marchr'

Forward by the right; march,
Clear and loud comes the command,
and the ugly, ill-conditioned steeds of
the camel corps moved forward with
an ungainly step. The wells of AboO
Klea are within sight, and Sir Herbert
Stewart, who marched nine days with
fifteen hundred picked men across the
desert to reach the Nile and thence to
press on to KhartOum, feels that his
mission will be successful and that
Gordon will be speedily relieved.
SO does Capt. Jack Mcpherson, of the
Egyptian army, attached for the pres
ent to the came!ry, as he sails along on
one Of the ships of the desert.
This is an unseaworthy ship, and as
it losses more than usual he CALCULATES:
ugh, you brute, if there is an Arab at
the wheels l will trade camels." With
this he looks forward to the rocky de-
file by which the route lies and sees
f1uttering above a ledge an Arab ban
ner. 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 a Zareba is in progress of
formation when, with beating of war
drums and discordant yells that remain
unanswered-for the threats 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
Arabs fought to break the ranks, there
is no need to tell. How Burnaby went
down, fighting gloriously, and many
another brave man beside him, history
records.
With the utmost GOODNESS, for he has
been through many such scenes, Capt.
MACPHERSON, after the first rush, picks
up the rife of dead soldier, unclasps
his cartridge belt, and plugs away
steadily at the nightshirt brigade, 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 compact
mass for another rush? And listen to
the request he makes to the men
around him:
s"Don't shoot within dozen yards
each side of that banner" he says in
sch a tone of voice that the soldiers
W
face.
Let them come right up before you
fire." he adds. land wait till give you
the word You'll agree to that, won't
you, Roberts? It's a matter of life
and death" This to the officer in COM
mand of the company.
Matter of death to US all. [ think, if
you don't speak in time growled
Rn1.. OF cd
dervishes; but have your way"
Macpherson makes no answer; the
pallor of his face increases; now it is
ashy gray as the Arabs rush in on the
square. OF all the oncoming hundreds
he sees only two men-one the standard
bearer and beside him a young fellow,
wonderfully light for an Arab, and
with cap on 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 fash, and at the same
instant the standard bearer falls prone
to the earth. The fair-faced Arab
seizes the banner and rushes to the
front Another shot and he, too, falls.
In a voice that rings above the din of
eAiC OdteAC ACESOA gives tAC OASACA
to fire, and the Arabs, met by a volley
at such range, stagger, and through
the smoke are seen to fall back a few
PAGES Instantly MACPHERSON rushes
out from the square, and before his
comrades or the enemy have time to
interfere he is again in the midst of his
comrades, trembling and pale, but
bearing in his arms the young Arab,
| who still grasps the banner he plucked
from the dead leaders hand.
The Arabs, nightly thinned in that
last brush, fall away. The fight is
over and the men crowding round Mac
Pherson, who is bathing the wounded