The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1898-03-02

and knocked an AraIdown w,,h his
clinched fist. Wynneessuyed to fol
low him, but his limbs refused to
servo him. a
He closed his eyes9n agony y Z
opening them again TO find the line
filled p by fresh men, and the adj
jutant standing beside him with
rage and contempt il his childish
eyes.
For Gods sake, forgive me!''
whispered Marmaduke. a furious
retort was on the others lips, but
he checked himself ut the look of
unutterable anguish on Wynno's
face. A plying haze came to his
eyes and he turned away, struggling
his shoulders.
The fire ceased on all sides OF tho
square, and u handful of hussars
galloped forth to ride down the re-
treating enemy.
Marmaduke lay painting on the
ground by the wells. A fatigue par
ty, 90 feet away, wat pumping up
the yellow, fetid water through a
leaky hose. A squalid crowd Of men
were scattered about. cropping in
meat tins which emitted q horr;d
odor of decay. Marmaduke was dy-
ing Of hunger and thirst, but no
dared not eat such food. At the sight
of it his hand went instinctively to
his nose. So it was with the water.
To assuage his thirst ta sucked the
buckle OF his sword belt; to keep
down the pangs Of hunger he MUNICH
ed Il piece Of biscuit, turning it over
many times i'll his mouth and only
swallowing Il particle at Il time. 1t
was not hunger that he minded; it
was thirst.
Suddenly the pumping stopped.
"Ha!leluiah!" sang out Il voice.
"Well, of al the blooming things!'
whats the matter?"
Who'd have thought we'd ave
chawnced OH the blessed mawdie's
wine cellar?"
Marmaduke sprang to his feet.
Ono of the fatigue party stretched
over the well had pulled out from
some esoteric place of concealment
one, two, three, four, five, Six bot
ties of champagne. The men gath
cred round.
"Koch Fills, 1884" read ono slow
ly. Guess this amt no ginger
beer, anyhow"
Fcr once Marmaduke had his wits
about him. "Give you a tenner for
t1c ..ot:" lie shouted. The finder of
the treasure trove stared al him i'm
pudentiy. It does not take long for
a soldier to reckon up his officer
when he has seen him under fire.
Five quid apiece is my price"
he replied. There ANT no bloonin
civil service stores out here"
Marmaduke flushed angrily, but
he handed the man a promissory
note and took two bottles.
Marmaduke cracked his first bot
tie and swallowed half Of it at one
gulp. 1t made him feel light in his
head, but, God, how delicious it was!
He saw the adjutant looking at
him w%istfuily, Il canful of tho
muddy water in his hand. Wynnc
was about to call to him when he
remembered the events of the day,
and turned SO that the other might
not G his face. Then his moral
courage, Of which he had plenty,
came back to him, and, clinching
his teeth, he wheeled sharply about
and approached the adjutant.
"Wiil you ~condescend TO drink
come of my wines" he began sturdi-
ly, but his voice faltered as he add
ed, II do not ask you to drink with
me-"
The other looked askance at him
a moment, then said: Don't be a
dashed idiot. Of course I'll drink
with you, and jolly grateful"
I'm afraid you must have
thought me a beastly funk today"
said Marmaduke, his tongue wag-
ging with wine.
"Oh, nonsense. You merely had u
touch of the nerves" said the boy
Wynne was still sober enough to
grasp greedily at this merciful theo-
ry.
THAT was ALL" he said thiokly;
..'that was ALL" And he took another
| pull at the bottle.
Dashed heady fig this of yours
| ,yawned tho adjutant. Its making
me sleepy"
"Wino doesn't have that effect on
me-" declared Wynne tierce!y. 1T
excites me; it sends the blood rush
ing through my veins, through and
through; it braces my nerves.; it
wires my muscles; it'll
sit whati'' asked the adjutant.