The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-05-15

| or give the alarm, instant death would
| be melted TO him. | told him to guide us
| to the archway, which he did, down the
| stone stems that led from the northern
} wall into the court yard. They seemed
| to keep close watch inside, the only sen
| tinels in the place being those on the
upper walls. But the man we had cap
tured not appearing at his corner in
| time. his comrade on the western side
| became alarmed. spoke to him, and OBJ
| tanning no answer shouted for him. then
| discharged his gun Instantly the place
was i'm an uproar Lights flashed and
| from different guardrooms soldiers
noured out | saw across the court
| ward the archway the sentinel had
spoken of. and calling my men made Il
| dash for it, The besieged garrison. not
| eypecting an enemy within had been
| rushing up the stone steps at each side
| TO the outer wall to man the cannon
| they had so recently quilted, and it was
some minutes before IA knowledge of the
real state of things came TO them These
few minutes were all we needed. but
saw there was no chance for a slow
match. while if we fired the mine we
probably would die under the lettering
tower BY the time we reached the
archway and found the powder barrels,
the besieged. finding everything silent
outside, came to Il realization of the
true condition of affairs. We faced
them with bayonets fixed, while Sept,
the man who had captured the sentinel,
took the Ratchet he had brought with
him at his girdle, flung over one of the
barrels on it's side. knocked in the head
Of it. allowing the dull black powder to
pour on the cobble stones. Then filling
his hat with the explosive he came out
toward us, leaving Il thick trail behind
him. BY this time we were s0rely beset,
and one of our men had gone down un-
der the fire of the enemy. who shot Wild
ly. being baf1'led by the darkness, other
wise all of us had been slaughtered.
seized musket from Il comrade and
shouted to the rest:
Save yourselves and to the gar
rison in French, | gave the same warn
ing. then | fred the musket into the
train of powder. and next instant found
myself half stunned and bleeding at the
further end of the courtyard. The roar
Of the explosion and the crash of the
falling tower was deafening. All Elsen-
gore was aroused by the earthquake
shock | called to my men when
could find my voice. and Sept answered
from one side, and two more from an
other Together we tOttered across the
debris Strewn courtyard. Some wood
work inside the citadel had taken fire
and was burning fiercely, and this lit
IN the ruins and made visible the great
gap in the wall at the fallen gate. Into
the square below we saw the whole
town pouring soldiers and civilians
alike. coming from the narrow streets
into the open quadrangle. ! made~SxL
way, leaning on Sep, over the broken
gate and down the causeway into the
square. and there, foremost of all. met
my general, with a cloak thrown round
him, to make up for his want of coat.
There general l gasped there is
your citadel, and through this gap can
we march to meet Marlborough"
PRAY. sir who the devil are your
cried the general, for my face was like
that of II Blackmoor.
II am the lieutenant who has once
more disobeyed your orders. general. in
the hope of retrieving a former mis-
take
..Sentore." he cried. rapping out an
oath. i shall have you courtmartialed,
sir"
4 think general" said, that / am
courtmartialed already" for | Thought
then that the hand of death was upon
me. which shows the effect of magma
ton, for my wounds were not serious,
yet | sank down at the generals feet.
lie raised me in his arms as if | had
been his own son, and thus carried me
to my rooms. Seven years later, when
the war ended | got leave of absence
and came back to Elsengore for Gret-
Itch Seidelmier and the hourglass."