The Mena weekly star., 1898-01-12

1 of alarm the man leaped up and
 dashed into the bush to his left. 1t was
 well that the bush checked him, or he
 would have knocked against the trees in his wild fright. As he struggled to tear himself loose, reason came to his aid, and told him that it was but n stronger gust of wind. The half-bared limbs were swaying and tossing as he looked up, and the dead leaves struck him on the face as they went whirling through the woods to find a resting place.
 What should a soldier on picket do when he finds that fear has robbed him of his courage and coolness? To fire his musket meant to call out the re- serve picket-alarm all along the mile front--questions - curses = taunts of cowardice. To find posts No. and 6 ill the darkness was impossible; or, even if he succeeded in doing so, he might be shot down by the men on duty before he could identify himself To abandon his post and hide in the bushes or at the foot of some distant tree-yes, he would do that. Nol no! That would be cowardice He was be- coming a coward-he was ready to ad- init that he was a coward-but there are some things so despicably coward ly that a craven will turn from them. Johnny Raw stood with bated breath and chattering teeth, and finger-nails digging into his palms, when there came a scuf1iing through the dead leaves - rattling of twigs and branches and heavy steps, and the man sank down in heap and gasped:
 "They have come to kill me and I am glad of it! Here am-here-- here!"
 The sentinel he had relieved should have also told him that wounded horse was wandering about through the for est with q leg dragging behind him, as if seeking q place where the eyes of man could not behold his death strug- gles, but not a word of this. As the night waned the suffering animal felt the bangs of thirst and hobbled along the creek in search of a spot where he could reach the water. A dozen sol diers moving through the woods would have made no more noise. Tn his fear Johnny Raw believed that the enemy was advancing to midnight attack, but he neither hunted for his musket to fire an alarm nor did he cry out nor challenge. With his blood running cold as the waters of the creek he covered and gasped and trembled, and hoped that when the men reached him his death would come quickly.
 The horse drank deeply, stopping now and then to sigh and moan, and when at last he had finished he turned and scented or caught sight of the figure on the earth. Perhaps he was glad-perhaps surprised. He neighed shrilly and advanced a few steps.
 "lt is horse-only horsei" gasped Johnny Raw, as he sprang up with sob in his throat and a glow of well come in his breast.
 Was it a horse? No one could mis- take that neigh. and the form looming up in the darkness could not belong to other living thing. but after minute the man found himself doubting Was it not trick of the bushwhackers to take him off his guard? Aye! it might be what men call the monster of war roaming about in search of a victim. As he bent forward and peered into the darkness he thought he saw two eyes of fire-a mouth filled with fangs and blood-a great foot armed with claws lifted for rush upon him. Was it imagination? Yes-yes! No-yes- no! The man pulled himself together and sought to reason. He could not reason. As he struggled against the fears which had sapped his strength, morally and physically, it seemed to him as if the big beech tree at his right ! was reaching out two bony hands to | clasp his throat and choke out his life. 1 He sprang aside with shriek which 1 startled the horse and sent the 'possums skurrying away, and LOW he was no | longer himself in tbe smallest degree. | Fright had grown into terror-terror sent him running through the forest | He did not take note of his way; he was flying from himself-from such dan- ! gers and perils Us had never menaced ! man before To save his life he must | fly. He ran without seeing what was before him. He crashed through | bushes, struck against trees and fell | over logs, but on he ran, moaning and muttering and calling to God.
 "Who comes here!"
 It was a confederate picket on the | far side of the neutral ground who chal- lenged. Some one was running straight | for him-some one seemed to be en- couraging others to follow.