Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1894-06-07

The Cinnamon laid low and did not re-
ply with 50 much as single shot. Mis-
led by their silence. Captain Bellamy
after dusk had fallen led ashore a much
weaker landing party than he would
have employed had he anticipated re-
sistance. Not until the men had tum-
bled out Of the boats did the enemy open
fire, and then the captain knew he had
made mistake. He still hoped that he
might avert disaster by rushing the fort,
and he made the attempt; but, as has
been already shown, he failed and fell.
His men surged past him for few
yards, but were then repulsed and driv-
en- back pellmell In the confusion and
darkness they missed him, and he was
left lying, with his left knee mangled,
to bleed to death or to get a speedier
quietus from one Of the many bullets
that were whistling after the retreating
bluejackets.
1t is astonishing that he escaped being
hit second time, for not only were the
Cinnamon firing with rifles from the fort,
but the men in the boats were using their
machine guns In five minutes, though,
the worst of the storm had passed away,
and with the lull Captain Bellamy saw
dark figure slowly drawing near him
from the right. He fully expected to
find that his visitor was one of the enc
my armed with mission to put an end
to him, or perhaps drag him into the
fort, where death might be administered
little at a time, and though brave
man he was much relieved when he was
able to distinguish that the newcomer
was one Of his own people.
beg pardon, sir, hoped it was you,"
whispered voice, which the captain at
once recognized at that of his coxswain.
"Hopedfr growled the captain. ''What
do you mean by hoping, you scoundrel?
Here am with my knee smashed, bleed
ing to deathr'
"Sad news for Miss Violet" muttered
Larch.
"Confound Miss Violet and you too!
Bear hand here and pull me out of this
If you can. The beggars will be blazing
away again i'll minute"
Mustn't move you, sir, till I've tied up
your leg" said Larch, who had already
taken off his handkerchief and was sat
isfying himself as to the position of the
wound and the quantity Of blood that
was being lost. 'It's that big artery on
the inside of your leg, sir, that's got to
be attended to. If you won't mind my
using my 'baccy box and my handker-
chief-so-now, I'll twist it close"
Vo,,s,a INV Ioo, "a
cried the captain.
''Never mind, sir" said Larch. 'sTve
stopped the
At that moment the Chinese in the fort
opened fire again.
"What the dickens is the matter with
you, Larch?" demanded the captain.
For an instant the coxswain, who had
drawn back with shudder, was silent.
When he spoke, it was with an altered
voice. They've hit me, sir, think, he
said.
"Then run, man, and take shelter" /"
urged the captain. "I'm all safe now for
an hour or two, if they don't come ont to
look for me-"
"There's wall a little to the right,
sir" said the coxswain, who paid no at
tention to his chiefs orders, ''and I think
can get you behind it if you can drag
yourself on to my back as I crawl. Only
don't disturb the bandage, sir"
Captain Bellamy, with great effort,
managed by degrees to work himself on
to the mans back and to clasp Larch
round the neck. Il hope, Larch, that
you're not risking too much, but if we
get through this there'll be a Victoria
cross for you as certainly as there1l be a
wooden leg for me-"
"Beg pardon, sir" muttered Larch,
who was now crawling slowly with his
burden toward the wall, ''but l don't
want any Victoria cross. Would they
promote me, do you think, sir?"
Il don't doubt it, Larch. You'll get
your warrant"
The coxswain stopped suddenly.
whats the matter" cried the captain.
Larch resumed his laborious crawl.
81 was only thinking" he explained.
won't you be wiser to defer your
thinking until we are under the lee Of
that wall?'' growled the captain. IF
those fellows fire any more, we're done
for"
The coxswain made no reply, but
dragged himself on, yard by yard, until
at length he gently deposited his load be-
hind the thick stone shelter. AS he made
a motion as if to return whence he had
come the captain cried: Stay in here,
you idiot. Where the dickens are you
going?
Larch sank down by the captains side.
"Beg pardon, sir" he said after pause,
"but may l speak my mind out to You
just for this once as between man and
mann"
Certainly you may" replied the cap
tain, somewhat astonished at the ques-
ton.
Having got permission, Larch neither
hesitated nor attempted to restrain him
self. His confession came with rush.
''Tve been fool" he said. II knew it
all along, only wouldn't see it. I've
had mad dreams Of promotion, not to a
warrant only, but to commission. I've
thought Of nothing but her. I've kissed
the earth she has trodden upon. I've
hoped; I've prayed. Look in that 'baccy
box when they take off your bandage,
and you'll fad bit Of her hair that !
begged from her maid. Yet | know
quite well that it can't be. For her sake
wouldn't have it to be if it could be.
And there's only one end to it. She
mustn't know, but can tell you, sir,
that, though you are my captain, it
wasn't for that that | went out to look
for you tonMht. 1t was because you are
her father-Miss Violets-and may God
bless her and forgive mer'
He staggered to his feet, and without
another word bent his head and dashed
toward the fort, firing his revolver wild
ly as he went.
The enemy answered with volley,
and the captain heard the coxswain fall
on the other side Of the wall. Laird
Cloves in London Sketch.
Saying and Doing.