Griggs courier., 1898-08-18

with him as you suggest, sergeant"
Prisoner! Right about face!
March," cried the sergeant, and,
Joined by the guard at the door, they
marched to stake that had been set
up in the village street, and Gaspard
was bound toit.
There, in the burning rays Of the
sun, bali crazed with the heat ond the
longing for water, Gaspard remained
until late in the afternoon. Then the
sergeant approached him, bearing in
his hand flask of water and cup,
into which he poured some of the cool
liquid, raising the flask so high that
the water fell into the cup with the
sound that there is no forgetting. Gas
rard's eyes glared at it wolfshly, but
his lips and tongue were SO swollen
that he could not utter sound.
Private Meudon, will you obey Or
ders?" asked the sergeant.
The poor scorched head nodded as
sent, and the mouth moved feebly;
the sergeant poured little of the wa
ter between Gaspard's lips, and he
tried to swallow it. Then, in a mo-
ment, his eyes frightened, and he
opened his mouth for more, and swal-
lowed it, and mumblcd that he wanted
still more.
So, having surrendered, he was cast
loose and carried to a hut, where he
lay for week between life and death;
and when three weeks had passed he
came again upon parade, a hollow
checked, sunken-eyed wreck. hardly
able to stand. His rifle was in his hand,
and mechanically he went through his
drill, managing to last out until pa
rade was dismissed and he could rest
again.
Next day some of the soldiers went,
as was their daily custom, to battle in
the river. and while there they were
surprised by i body of Mandingoes,
who killed ten or twelve of them be-
fore help could arrive. There was
fort just outside the village, and the
garrison, 20 in all, had rushed out to
the rescue, but they. too, were so far
outnumbered that they could only
show bold front and retreat to their
fortress with the rescued men in their
midst. The remainder of the garrison
left in the village were already en-
gagged with a numerous enemy, and no
help could be expected from that quar-
ter.
Only that morning Gaspard had
taken his place with the garrison of
the fort, and be. with the others, had
sailed out to beat back the enemy;
but although, like the rest, he placed
himself between his defenseless COM
rades and their foes. he made no at
tempt to fire his rifle. merely threat
ening with it, and falling back step by
step.
By the time they reached their mud
fort they were almost surrounded by
a ferocious horde, mad with the lust
for blood. and only one person at
time could pass in through the small
door to safety. The fort, which had
been built by the Arabs and repaired
by the French, was pierced for mus
kerry above the line of the door. and
those who were within fired down into
the black crowd, keeping them some
what at bay.
Gaspard never looked at the door.
but faced the foe with a calm and reso-
lutte courage that moved the sergeant.
who was near him, to admiration, so
that he cried out words of encourage
ment to him. Every time the foe made
a rush he pointed his rifle, and thev
fell back before the determinations
ing soldier, and fred at him instead.
They were bad enough shots. those
dark-skinned warriors. and vet Gas
pard was bleeding from half a dozen
wounds when the sergeant shouted to
him: you've done your share, mon
brave! Run in"
Gaspard would not move, but stood
there few PAGES in front of the door
through which the last of his COM
rades was retreating until only he and
the sergeant were left.
'Now, Private Meudon, III cover
you," cried the sergeant.
Il wait for YOU, sergeant" and the
sergeant. seeing how determined he
was, made rush and got through the
door in safety.
oNSPAAo Nu1uCu HIS ueGQ To-
ward the door, but in that moment the
enemy rushed in upon him with wells
of triumph. and he was lost to sight:
only struggling mass of black war
riors was to be seen, hacking and hew-
ing at something in their midst.
Just an hour later reenforcements
came from the village, and the Man
dingoes were driven away with heavy
loss; and then they found what was
Gaspard. -
The sergeant took up rife from
the clinched hand of dead native: he
knew it had belonged to Gaspard, and
he looked into the barrel. It was
bright, and had not been fred. The
sergeant mused for a moment.
"Ah! the poor Gaspard Meudon," he
said. 'he was an imbecile, look YOU.
but he was also man, and a brave
-an!"-Temple Bar.
Cost of EnEland's Ordnance Map.
England's ordnance survey map cos;