The times., 1897-11-08

slant. with his mugket thrown forward,
and ,,oBld anyone have seen hisface through
the darEness, they would have found 1t
whiter tran Il dead mans. The sentinel
wlrjm he relieved should have told hiIt
that 'u0SSunls and coons would be moving
about over tie dead leaves when things
grew Iuiet but he said not word. That
was what oecasIoned the noise, but IL the
dead-libe silence between the gusts II
soun,!ed ike men advancing ON their tip
toes. Al the end Of three or fonr minutes
Tohunv Raw suspected the origin OF the
sounds and heaved a sign OF relief, Euf
he mad to acknowledge that his nerve was
going. When it comes to that, man
is not responsible for what happens. Let
him confess to himself that he is afraid
and fear win soon eat out his heart.
s'Babble Babble! Babble!''
1t was bnt the waters OF the creek as
they rushed over impeding rocks. The
sounds had been in his ears when he TOOK
the post but only just now had he seFa-
rated them frCln other sounds. 1t wslS
like three OF four deep voices speaking
together In undertones, and for d moment
he peered inso the darkness and felt sure
that he saw human forms crouchins in the
bushes few feet before him. He opened
his mouth to call out, but no sound cane
from Il, and of a sudden his hands let
go of his musket and it fell across bis toes.
''God, but / am frightened!' whispered
Johnny Raw, as he sank down and pulled
the cape of his overcoat over his head.
So he was. Companionship and excite
ment would have carried him through a
battle The loneliness, the darkness, and
the unseen periIs which he belie
menaeed him, had broken him down in
half an hour. As he covered and tumhled
there came long-drawn wall, and the tree
at his back swayed and complained. With
a cry of alarm the man Ieaped up and
dashed into the bush at his left. 1t was
well that the bush checked him, or he
would have knocked against the trees in
his wild fright. As he struggled to tear
himself loose, reason came to his aid, and
told him that it was but a stronger gust of
wind. The half-bared limbs We're sWaying
and tossing as he looked up, and the dead
leaves struck him on the face as they went
whrling through the woods to find a
resting place.
What should q soldier on picket do when
he finds thet fear has robbed him Of his
courage and coolness? To fire his muskeu
meant to can out the reserve picket alarm
all along the mile 'front.' questions
taunts OF ccwaYdice To find posts 4 and 6
in the darkness was impossible; or, even il
he succeeded in doing so, he might be
shot down by the men on duty before he
could identity himself To abandon his
post and hide in the bushes or OF the foot
of some distant tree yes, he would do
that. No! moi That would be cowardiCe
He was becoming d coward he wasready
to admit that he was coward but there
are some things so despicably cowardly
ttat a craven will turn from them. Johnny
Raw stood with hated breath and cha tier
ing teeth, aud finger nails digging into his
palms, when there came scuffling through
the dead leaytl "a rafting Of twigs and
branches ond Aavy steps-and the man
sank down in Heap and gasped:
''They have come to kill me-. and am
glad of it, Here [ am -here-here!'
The sentinel ne had relieved should have
also told him that a wounded horse was
wandering oout through the forest with
q leg dragging behind him, as if seeking
d place where the eyes Of man could not
behold his death struggles, but not word
of this. AS the night waned the suffering
animal felt the pangs of thirst and hobbled
along the creek in search of a spot where
he could reach the water dozen sol
ders moving through the woods would
have made 10 more noise. In his fear
Johnny Raw believed that the enemy was
advancing tc midnight attack, but he
neither hunted for his musket to fire an