Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1892-01-15


Stewart who marched nine days ago
with l. 500 picked mon across tho 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 MACPHERSON OF
the Egyptian army, attached for the
present to the camelry, as he sails
along on one OF the ships OF tho desert
He looks forward to the rocky deiils
by which tho route lies, and sees tut-
tering above 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
Herberts ear. Tho troops are halted
and zareba is in process OF formation
whom with beating OF war drums and
discordant yells that remain un-
answered-for tho threats OF the men
are too parched and thirsty to hurrah
"a great body OF Arabs starts from
the underwood around tho entrance to
the detile, and headed by many stan
dard bearers, rushes In upon the Brit
ish square.
With the utmost GOODNESS (for he has
been through many such scenes) Capt
MACPHERSON, after the first rush. picks
up the rifle OF dead soldier unclasps
his cartridge belt and plugs away
steadily at the nightshirt brigade as
the soldiers have nicknamod the Arabs
from their long white robes.
OF all the oncoming hundreds he
secs only two men-one the standard
bearer and beside him 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 as tho Arabs come within
fifty yards OF the square he takes de-
liberate aim. A fash. and at the Same
instant the standard bearer falls promo
to the earth. Tbs fair-faced 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 fire. and the Arabs met by a 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 no 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 tho men. crowded round Nc
Pherson. who is bathing the wounded
Arabs thigh where his bullet entered.
ask what it all means
Roberts who is under the impress
sion that the banner was the prize
coveted by Mcpherson and that his
caro- for the Arab 10 an after-thought
remarks that the game was hardly
worth the candle. But Mcpherson,
looking up for moment says point
ing to the wounded Arab:
My brother"
Instantly the mon. most OF whom
have heard the story of the colonel's
bereavement crowd around the
stretcher. Sure enough the resem-
blance cannot be disputed.
See" says Mcpherson becoming
less constrained as the intense strain
OF the last few minutes is relaxed Il
can trace on the back OF his right
hand the outlines OF an anchor. re-
member when he put it on he was a
very small cub. His hand looked as
il it was poisoned and he came to me
and got me to serape most OF the ink
out again. That's why the mark is SO
faint. Roberts. send man out there
to bring in tho big fellow l shot. That
was Aboo, and think you will find a
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 exami-
nation it is found that he, too. has
been wounded in tho thigh.
They were an odd-looking pair the
brothers as they walked together in
the garden OF tho army hospital at
Cairo. 1t was fortunate that Jack
knew Arabic, for his long-lost brother
/ had to learn English over again. hav-
| ing heard never word OF his mother
tongue from the night when Aboo
after gagging him. tumbled him into
the boat lying astern of the dahabeeh
until his brothers bullet brought him
back to civilization. or his wander
/ ings no could tell little except that
his captor and he had boon wayfarers
for years in tho Soudan and along the
desert highways until the insurrection
broke out whom he was pressed into
tho Mahdrs service Aboo being a
volunteer After a while. he told his
brother he became rather fond OF
fighting.
s'Imphm" said the colonel as his
elder son translated these remarks.
'therc is some OF the MACPHERSON in
him yet then" He nodded pater-
nally toward Bob. and then turning
to Jack. said tenderly: God bless
you my boy, for bringing back my
Benjamin even with bullet!"-To-
ronto Globe.
Nothing Lilro Leather.
| Thia "A lsaat 10 aaid "a ho tba op1nf0u