The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1891-09-05

Khartoum, 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 tho camclry, as he sails along en- one
Of the ships Of the desert.
This is an tinseaworthy ship, and at
il losses more than usual, he ejacu-
lates: ugh, you brute, II there is an
Arab ut the wheels will trade camels, I"
With this he looks forward to the rocky
deille by which the route lies, and sees
tluttering above lodge 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 Herberts ear. The troops are
halted and a zareba is in process OF for
nation, when, with beating OF war
drums and discordant yes that re-
manned unanswered-fo the Threats Of
the men are too parched and thirsty to
hHrFah--a great body OF Arabs start
from the underwood around the en-
trance to the defile, and, headed by
many standard-bearers, rushes in upon
the British square.
OF the fight Tor life in that square, and
tho determination with which the
Arabs fought to break the ranks, there
is no need to tell. How Barnaby 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, Cap
tain MACPHERSON, after the first rush,
picks up the rifle Of dead soldier, I'M
clasps 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 a compact mass
for another rush? And listen to the
request he makes to the men around
him:
"Don't shoot within 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, Ind wait till give you
the word. You'll agree, to that, won't
YOU, Roberts? It's matter oil life and
Death" This to the officer in command
OF the company.
matter Of death to us al, think, il
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 rs the Arabs rush in on the
square. OF all the oncoming hundreds
he sees only twomen-one the standard
bearer and beside him q young fellow,
wonderfully light Of skin for an Arab,
and, with cap on his head instead OF
the usual tangled headdress OF creased
hair worn by the dervishes.
Kneeling rs the Arabs came within
fifty yards Of the square he takes DELHI
crate aim. A flash, and at the same in
slant the standard-bearer falls prone to
the earth. The fair-fOced Arab seizes
the banner and rushes to the front
Another shot and he too falls. In
voice that rings above the din OF the
battle MACPHERSON gives the order to
fro, and the Arabs, met by volley at
such range, stagger, and through the
smoke are seen to fall back 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 MacPher-
son, who is bathing the wounded Arabs
thigh where his bullet entered, ask
what it all means.
Roberts, who is under the impression
that the banner was the prize coveted
BY MACPHERSON and that his care for
the Arab is an afterthought, remarks
that the game was hardly worth the
candle. But MACPHERSON, looking up
fora moment, says, pointing to the
wounded Arab:
"My brother"
Instantly the men, most of whom
have heard the story OF the colonel's
bereavement, crowd around the
stretcher. Sure enough the resembl-
ance can not be disputed.
"See," says MACPHERSON, becoming
less constrained rs the intense strain OF
the last few minutes is relaxed, II Gun
trace on the back OF his right hand the
outlines OF an anchor. l remember
when he put 1t on he was very small
cub. His hand looked as il it was
poisoned, and he came to me and got
me to scrape most OF the ink out again.
That's why the mark is so faint. Rob-
erts, send man out there to bring in
the big fellow shot. That was Aboo,
and think you will fine bullet in his
head"
The last words are spoken family, and
MACPHERSON falls back into the arms Of
a soldier. Where he stood there is
pool OF blood, and on examination IT is
found that he, too, has been woundedin
the thigh.
III.
They we're an odd looking pair, the
brothers, us they walked together in the
garden OF the army hospital at Cairo.
1t was fortunate that Jack knew Arabic,
for his long lost brother had to learn
English over again, having heard never
a word OF his mother tongue from the
night when Aboo, after gagging him,
tumbled him into the boat lying astern
OF the dahabceh until his brothers bull.
let brought him back to civilization.
of his wanderings he could tell little
except that his captor and he had been
wayiarers for years in the Soudnn and
along the desert highways until the in-
surrection broke out, when he was
,,,osend into tho mahdi's sarvica Aboo
being volunteer. After n while, he
told his brother, he became rather fond
Of fighting.