The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1892-06-11
Philipyille two days previously. 1t was
scarcely ended when a bugle sounded

"Thats the sentinel's recall" said
Roland II must get in. I'll forward
the esterthe first chance | GET =
He rose; Vickers, with a dumbagony
OF grateful entreaty on his face, fesbiy
held up his left hand-the right arm
was shattered. After moments hesi-
tation Roland bent and took it.
Here" he said, "take this"
Ho dropped his flask beside him!
keep your heart up; perhaps you
amt as bad as you think. I'll see II l
can get help for you.p
Tears started to the wounded wretch's
SRose had better have taken you. |
guess" he said. Roland turned sharp
"I'll be back as quick az can" he
said, and ploughed his way. back into
camp without single backward glance.
Coming to a large tent, the only,one in
tho camp, roughly run up as temper
airy hospital, he passed between two
rows Of PROSTATE figures, sunk in the
sleep OF exhaustion or tossing in agony,
to where a man in the uniform Of an
army surgeon was bending, pipe in
mouth, over the body Of a patient. Il
want to speak to you when you've I'm
iShed, Ned"
The surgeon nodded without raising
his eyes, completed his task, ran
his blood.stained fingers YEARLY
through his hair, and turned to Roland
with a yawn and shiver.
"That's the last of EN-, he said ;"l've
been at 1t since nightfall, aud I'm dead
beat. Cut it short, old man; we start
in an hour, and l meant to get O wink
Of Sleep"
ann afraid you'll have to do without
it." said Roland "Do you remember
jim Yickers?"
Jim Vickers !" repeated the surgeon.
"oh, yes; the man who married Rose
Bishop"
Roland WINGED and nodded.
"He's out there, shot in the arm and
leg. Says he's dying. He didn't know
mo, and asked me to write a word for
him 10 Rose-to his wife. want you
to come and have a look At him"
Tho surgeon shrugged, with half
yawn.
MIN III our crown.
"Yes,"-saia Roland, "but one man is
pretty much the same to you as an
other, reckon, and-you know Rose.
You might save him."
Ned shrugged again, tossed some lint
and other necessaries into bag on the
table, and they sat out together. They
found Vickers asleep, with the empty
whiskey flask LAYING on the snow be-
side him.
There was ruined shed at a hundred
yards distance, to which they carried
the wounded man, who woke and
eroaned as he was raised. Arrived un-
der shelter, Ned silently betook him
self 10 examining Vickers wounds:
Arm and leg we're both shattered, aud
three OF his ribs were broken BY a
horses hoof. Roland watched his
friends face, but it wore the aspect OF
even gravity common to the faces Of
men OF his profession engaged at their
work, and nothing was to be learned
from 1t. His task finished, he patted
his patients shoulder, collected his
tools, and left the shed. Roland fol-
lowed him to the door. :,
"What do you think? Can he pull
through"
s'ae would with proper nursing and
good food, not without"
"Can we take him with us"
"No, the colonel wouldn't hear OF 1t.
We have to Join Meade ut Petersburg in
two days, and we can't afford to be both
cred with lame prisoners. Leave him
some biscuit and a bottle OF whiskey,
and let him take his chance. We've
done all ne could"
az can't leave him." said Roland.
you've got mighty fond OF him all Of
sudden" said Ned, with something OF
sneer.
"Tm IA fond Of him as I always was"
answered Roland. "ItssRose.m
"Well," said the other, after a mo-
ment's silence, and with the air he
might have worn had he found himself
forced to apply the knife to the flesh Of
his own child, EFF you want my opinion,
you shall have it. You'll do q long
sight better business for Rose Il you let
the fellow die. And, besides, you can't
save him. He'd take months tohealup
in hospital, with every care and atten-
ton"
Somebody might come along and
give me hand to get him to the near
est town." said Roland vaguely, but
tenaciously.
"The nearest town is thirty miles
away. How would you got him there?
It's impossible. Besides, look at this"
He pointed to the sky, an even blank OF
thick gray cloud. "That'll be falling in
another hour. You'd be showed up.
And then--hang it all, man, must be
as mad as you are to discuss the thing
at all. You don't suppose you're going
to get leave Of absence to nurse john
ny Reb2"
81 might take it" said Roland.
"And be shot for desertion?"
"That's as may be. The chances are
shouldn't be missed till you were too
far away to send buck for me. | must
90 and answer TO my name, and then
see If can't drop behind"
Ned held his head in his hands as II
it would else burst with the folly OF his
friends idea.
~ can't stay here all day talking
id nonsense" he said angrily. I'm
off into camp"
He strobe away, and Roland kept pace
with him. He did not need his friends
assurance Of the folly Of the act he
meditated. He quite recognized that,
but it was only in the background Of
his thoughts, which were filled with the
memory OF a woman's face. How could
he leave the man Rose loved to die,
while any possible effort OF his might
suffice to save him?
The first flakes of the coming snow
storm fell as the detachment started.
1t marched in very loose order for the