Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-08-15
EVENING STAR SATURDAY,

hollow square. with the women in the CEN
ter. and charge down upon them.
Slater was leading. The guerrillas essayed
to move forward to meet the attack. and
when they came within fifty yards the pis-
tolls began to crackle on both sides. A
charging horse stumbled heavily to the
ground. throwing his rider headlong. An
incessant volley poured from the deft re-
volvers of the .assailants, and the Span
tards recoiled from the spot on which 1t
was directed. where men and horses rolled
together on the earth. A moment. and the
little company. with the impetus of bull
let. had crashed into this shrinking spot
and sunk right in for five horses lengths
There was simmer all about as the men
swung the machetes above their heads
and urged on the plunging horses. The
Spaniards directly in front strove to get
clear, to have more room for fighting, and
the insurgents pushed forward to the
furtnest inch. 1t really seemed. for a little
that they would win through the Spanish
ranks.
The guerrillas next the troop were ex-
changing desperate sword strokes with
their antagonists, while those farther out
were pressing closer and firing wildly into
the swirl of fight with revovers. Five Of
Slaters men had gone down beneath the
blows that came from front and rear alike.
There were but twelve left, and these re-
doubled their efforts to break through the
trap that held them so fast Slater rode
in front. slashing to right and left with a
huge machete. He cut down an opposing
trooper. pistoled the horse the rider
fell. and spurred forward into the space
thus provided. His men followed and by
sheer dint Of blows managed to gain few
yards more. But the foe gathered close.
The air was all a-quiver with steel blades
about the fight. but now that the insur-
gerts had got fairly in motion once more
they were slowly yet surely thrusting their
way through the circlng crowd. But they
lost man for every yard that they won.
Pistol bullets hummed through the melee.
striking down friend and foe alike. One of
the women was hit rs she fired into the
dense gray ranks: the other, either wound
ed or fainting. slid from her saddle. and
both disappeared beneath the press.
While Slater's horse thus melted apace
Slater rode in the front, and knew not how
the others Jared. He only knew that he
was hewiag his desperate way forward az
col jungle. He had lost his hat and his
hair was clotted and dripping with blood.
but he took no heed of wounds; all his
effort was to reach the open space beyond.
And at last, bleeding horse and man, he
swayed into the clear ground and looked
about for his men.
Not one had followed; he was alone. The
women he had rescued We're gone, too.
He stared about If dazed, while the
Spaniards stood and wondered at the man
who had done nightly in the battle.
The blood was pouring from deep cut In
the neck of his horse. The animals knees
began to totter, and presently it sank to
the ground.
Slater fell with it. The troops rushed for
ward but when they came to him he was
dead. with the red blade still clinched in
his fingers.
And the women for whom this score of
men had recklessly thrown away their
lives lay tramped and crushed beneath
the hoofs of the guerrilla horse. But shall
it therefore be said of Slater's troop that
their sacrifice was made m vain?