The herald., 1898-10-19
USED As 4 B0llstYt
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES

AN "a oi1 voiunteSt, vus Sne Psne, ping On
many hideous nightmares now.
Some sixteen years ago was private Of
three years standing n the Second v. b.
Blankehire regiment. was fair shot, l
and. besidss The recruits prize several
laundering muf.
AT Wimbledon the preceding year he had
shot his way into the queens hundred, and
finished up, II l remember right, in the first
twenty But all of US had grounds for hop
ing that this year he would be still higher,
even if he did not carry off the queens.
For three months before the big meeting
Fred was on the range twice week.
Wednesday and neutrality-suspicious. at all
distances, and on these occasions | was al
ways his proud companion. We had been
one onetber for manv years % WITH % n. war. 70
est friendship.
Mary Mayfield, his lo-year-old sister, was
the handsomest girl in Dumbleton, and |
knew it, and 80 did several other fellows,
notably young George Kempster, who was
lance corporal in the same company:
George was the biggest fellow ever knew.
1t was not so much his height as his mas
sive frame and broad features that made
him appear veritable giant among us.
1t was on the Saturday before the VIM
bledon meeting that our company held
match, at which our. selected marksmen
county battalion. was one Of the number,
and | remember with pride, for Mary was
present, that after bringing up 80 from 200
yards and 20 from 500 yards, / finished up
at 600 yards with 80, making my score 81,
good performance in those days.
George kempster was down next, and l
am ashamed to confess that it was not with
mt . triUmnhaDt nd n aYntlA r1
Mary that l saw him finish with rs and a
total of "a.
After George and another fellow had con-
cluded at 900 we adjourned for refreshment
and no sooner had the red flag been hoisted
In the mantlets than the marker ran out.
and a tiny speck of lead had entered his
eye and was causing him great pain.
AS the only non-com. who had concluded
his shooting, Kempster was chosen, and
whether it was to take care Of him or help
him dodge the splashes don't know, but
the captain asked me to accompany him.
The target itself, heavy iron plate, stood
supported by stout girders some six feet
from the bank of earth In the rear. In the
middle of the plate-to be more precise,
the six-inch "bulr' itself had been cut ont
from the remainder Of the target, and when
shooting was in progress was fitted in it's
place by heavy bolt that dropped from
above.
never understood the reason for this Gu
rious contrivance, but once heard our old
sergeant instructor explain that some years
pigs and poultry, the unfortunate animals
were claimed by the marksman who killed
them.
had made the plate look spick and span,
and had gone behind in the shade to rest.
when suddenly heavX hand was laid upon
my shoulders and another on my mouth,
and before could move 1 was thrown
the shock of the fall recognized the face
of Kempster, sadly changed, hot and cruel.
He had rope, and was binding my arms
to my side, rolling me over and to and fro
as though l wore dog. When next /
looked up he was standing beside me, and l
felt my limbs securely bound together.
Miserable little curl" he hissed "You
thought you'd rob me of her, and win her
for your own. saw you smile and show
saw you make sign with her and laugh
together at my discontinue. Do you
know" he whispered, leaning over me, IT
asked her last night to marry me- and she
refused! Perhaps you know why? Per
haps some one has poisoned her mind against
me? Yes, you sneak, villain, coward!"
In vain I attempted to make signs-to
deny MS dSSeTClOnS, anu W CdIII HlS anger.
EDO you know who shoots next?" he
did remember. It was Corp; Mayfield
"I see YOU do" he continued. "It is
Nfayfeld; Fred will shoot well today, be
cause there's living bull. and as his bullet
strikes the black people will cheer, and his
sister viii smile!"
I saw him remove the small black circle
from its place and fasten across the space a
thick black cloth; then / was ierked to nv
feet aud my back pressed against the stiff
iron plate, whilst the madman silently and
swiftly bound me fast by neck and feet and
thought of her and tried to pray, while
al the time the the IN madman h, stood saS by and and
Kempster paled for an instant, then recov-
"Rememher!" he whispered, "Mavfeld is
Seems queer that he should mur-
der you, eh?" He laughed and he was gone.
saw the red flag wave and disappear and
seemed. Would that bullet never come?
Ping! and distant report, and out from
the mantlet came the black and white sig
nal Surely Fred could not be shooting; he
had never got 80 low as that for months.
Ping! and out came the red. Nearer this
time-an inner; but still not Fred's form.
A low laugh came from the mantlet as the
for certain.
A dull thud. and up flew the white sig
nal! Bullseye! What did it mean! Was
When I came to myself crowd of red
coated soldiers stood about me, and some
one was bathing my brow. It was Fred.
"All right, old chap" he whispered.
/ think | smiled, and as | turned my head
I saw a body, being carried away on a hur-
die Was / killed, and did l see my own
funeral? / relapsed into inconsistencies.
Now I was in a house and some one with
SOFT cool hands smoothed my forehead. 1t
was Mary. Others were standing near-my
mother and Fred and our sergeant
When at last heard the story from Fred's
own lips, all the horrid details came back to
my mind. 1t was Fred shooting; but how
badly he shot that day was remarked by
every one. He seemed nervous and his rifle
shook in his hands.
His first and second shots were poor but
at his third some shadow appeared to cross
his sight, and as he pulled the trigger his
left hand dropped and every one saw the
shot strike the bank in front.
To the CONSERVATION of the onlookers a
bull seye was signaled and the captain of
the opposing team Immediately challenged
the shot. The bugle was sounded but no an
swer was given and no marker made his ap-
pearance.
Then some one ran across the meadow to
ASCERTAIN the cause and there at the butts
found two apparently dead men, One was
dead-poisoned by. his own hand; but the
other, strapped and bound to the target, had
only tainted, and help was soon at hand to
coax him back to life
,ncto hao r;n H.. l,,11 L..l