The Ravalli Republican., 1898-03-30
WYNNE'S COURAGE E.


which was responsible for a mere
100 degrees of temperature, but be
cause of the inor(linate number OF
apparently immortal Arabs who
we're marshaled OF rather thrown
in battle array and who came rush
ing ever and again in yelping multi
tuiles on the devoted bayoncts Of q
little square OF British infantry.
They fell, Of course, in heaps before
the volleying rifles and machine
guns, but die they would not. Per
versity had taken flesh within them,
and they writhcd, foaming with
pain, through sand and scrub, to
hurry their steel, not in the bosoms,
but in the lower limbs and entralls
ct their enemies
Fhelo Waro young soldiers fasci-
mated by the fear Of death, who
would watch them coming, power
less tc ward Oft the blow, the empty
rifle clujched foolishly in the trem-
bling hand, till tAe fierce steel had
bitten out their life.
MarmadukeWynn was a young
soldier; not SO young years, but
this was his first battle, and he
was afrail-horribly, paralytically
afraid. He felt Sea2, in his heart, in
his throat, in his arms bis legs, his
feet and his hands. It had worked
its way into his revolver and his
sword; his very helmet seemed in
fected by it, and covered Imply on
his head He stood at corner Of
the square behind his men, not even
pretending to direct their fire, his
face white under the suLburn, and
his eyes half closed to hide the hor
r6r around him. He dared not look
up; if the fear onee crept into his
brain he knew he must run; whittier
he could not tell--perhaps into the
midst of tho enemy for very shame.
He was surprised at his weakness,
though all his past life might have
told him that it was bound to come
upon him. Not that his soul was
cowardly; us a boy he had ever
dreamed Of high deeds of knightly
pfowess which he would do when
manhood had given him the power,
but now that his first maturity had
been entered 31etstlI felt himself, as
of old, powerless'to realize his brave
ambition AT. Cairo he had blushed
at the anticipation of his coming
glory; acre at the front facing the
enemy his stomach was sick with
fear and dishonor. ...z
On came a posse of fanatics, their
ldngAsnives atlalne in the sunlight.
A shout, a'burst of smoke, a culver
Of bayonhts-the disappear, but
Two more"os MarmoAuke's men are
gone. One had been just i'll front
Of him-the enemy had got so far.
His lips blanch; the adjutant S voice
breaks in upon his ear.
"Say, Wynne, this won t do This
beggar's rifles sighted to 1900
That's all nonsense.
Another shout, another rush; the
!. boy slips back tho sight, raises the
=: rifle; to his shoulder, picks out {
hbrsenlan in the oncoming mob an(
pulls the trigger.
"Got 'im!' says the aljutant tri
umphantly as She man falls from
his saddle, thereby impeding tht
rush of those behind The boy
throws down the rifle and turns
away saying, Try 300, and keel
your men better in hand" He passe
Oh down the square.
Wynne dared not reply. He kney
his teeth would chatter if he openct
bis iuout&. How he onved the othe
bis coolness and yet hitherto Ii
had never thought him better maj
than himself scarcely lad he deem
cd him as good. 1t was liza question
Of temperament, he supposed. Ger
tainly that the latter had kil]o(
the savage horseman was entirel,
thanks t4 his nerves; there was n
courage required to shoot man 20
Yards away if one only knew hoy
to do It. Then he reflected that h
himself was afraid to fire off his re
vplver for fear of hitting his ow
men. There was nothing cowardl
:, in that; it merely showed his con
6ideration for others OF at worst h.
lack of self confidence. And yet h
knew at the bottom Of his soua t11t
he was behaving disgrarefully.
He tried to pull himself togethe
and as fresh charge came surgin
forward he made a movement as
Of advance to meet it, but q spe;
whizzed over his head, and in spi
of himself he shrank 1ack. II
aavages rushed in upon his nj
with dreadful howl, and TO /
horror they gave way. His sergear
on whom he had relied, was c
down and the young soldiers fe
back. He tried to tell them to
steady, but the words would y
come He shook in a palsy Of fei
and for one long moment he sto
staring at tho scene in front OF hi
with the gaze of an IDIOT. ..z.
"Clpse uD, close up!' he eilieard t