The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1895-06-05

until the lights went out, swan aboard,
knitted his enemy, and left again in the
boat. At this the Colonel, still holding
the paper in his hand, turned pale and
tremblingly gives in to Jack who knows
Arabic. Dragoman and crew crowd
around while he slowly reads: "Aboo
might have killed the English dog to-
night, but to steal the pride of his tent
was better revenge"
They searched for the fugitive with
shrinking hearts after time, but never a
trace OF the boy, dead or living did
they find. Almost mad with grief, but
not until the not weather threatened his
life, Colonel Macpherson returned to
Cairo and laid the terrible affair person.
ally before the Khedive. But it was all
in vain. Year after year he haunted the
Nile, promising backsheesh to an un-
limited extent for the restoration of his
boy, but the Arabs shook their heads
Aboo had disappeared without leaving
any trace. To the father who searched
for his lost boy there was no lack of in
terest now in Egypt.
'sForward by the right, march"
Clear and loud comes the command
and the ugly, ill-conditioned steeds Of
the camel corps moved forward with un-
calmly step. The wells of Aboo Klea
are within sight and Sir Herbert Stew
art, who marched nine days ago with
1900 picked men across the desert to
reach the Nile and thence to press on to
Khartoum, feels that his mission will be
successul and that Gordon will be speed
lily relieved.
So does Captain Jack Macpherson, of
the Egyptian army, attached for the
present to the camelry, as he sails along
on one of the ships of the desert.
This is an unseaworthy ship, and as it
tosses more than usual he CALCULATES,
"Ugh, you brute, if there is an Arab at
the wells I will trade ;camels." With
this he looks forward to the rocky defle
by which the route lies, aud sees futter-
ing 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 Herbert's ear.
The troops are halted and zareba is in
process of formation when with beating
of war drums and discordant yIlls that
remain unanswered-for the throats of
the men are too parched and thirty to
hurrah-a great body of Arabs starts
from the underwood around the entrace
to the de6le, and, headed by many STAN
dard bearers, rush 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) Captain
Macpherson, after the irat rush, picks
up the rifle 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 seel what change is this in his
face as the foe forms in a compact mass
for another rush2 And listen to the re-
quest 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, "and wait till I give you
the word. You'll agree to that, won't
you, Roberts2 It's matter of life and
death" This is to the officer in CON-
mand of the company.
"Matter of death to US all, think, if
you don't speak in time" growled Rob
erts, frowning at the advancing der
wishes; "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 young fellow,
wonderfully light of skin for an Arab,
and with a cap on his head instead of
the usual tangled headdress of creased
hair worn by the dervishers.
Kneeling as the Arabs come within
fifty yards of the square he takes delib-
crate aim. A fash, and at the same i'll.
stan: the standard-bearer falls prone to
the earth. The fair faced Arab seizes
the banner and rushes to the front. An
other 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 6
range, stagger, and through the smoke
are seen to fall back few PAGES. In
stantly Macpherson rushes out from the
square, and before his comrades or the
enemy have time to interfere he is agair
in the midst of his comrades, trembling
and pale, but bearing in his arms tht
young Arab, who still grasps the banner
he plucked from the dead leaders hand
The Arabs, nightly thinned in thai
last brush, fall away. The fight is ovel
and the mer, crowded round MacPher
son, who is bathing the wounded Arab
thigh where the bullet entered, ask wha
it all means.
Roberts, who is under the impression
that the banner was the prize coveted b.
Macpherson, and that his care for th
Arab is an afterthought, remarks tina
the game was hardly worth the candle
But Macpherson, looking up for mo
ment, says, pointing to the wounded