The Ravalli Republican., 1898-08-24
when he had arranged for Dora's

when he had arranged for Dora's
safety.
The enemy had drawn off. He
had time to think, but his eyes were
kept steadily on the narrow open
ing at the end of the dolile. What
were they up to now2 What would
their next move be? "-
What was that? A cloud Of dust
coming through the detile! There
was no wind What could it be?
Suddenly it dawned upon him that
some of the Afridis were crawling
upon him on their stomachs, w1ig
Cling along like cells, thrashing the
dust about them in front to obscure
his aim. ~@...
But he caught sight Of a body
here and there, and whenever he
did his rifle spoke, and it was gener-
ally followed by a yell. Still, that
dust cloud gradually approached.
He had to expose himself more no."
to take aim at his attackers.
Ping! That was near his own
head, but he must raise it to get
sight of them. The rest were now
crawling along after their leader,
for they were not going to be held
at bay by one man.
Ping! This time he felt a sharp
sting on his neck, and something
like warm water trickled down be-
tween Ills shirt and his neck.
But he continued to pump in the
bullets. There was q nu1nbness in
his left shoulder and a fearful pain
when he tried to turn his head. He
wanted to brush the blood away
from his eyes. There were a scran-
bio and a scufGe The Afridis were
preparing to jump up and make a
rush. The final act was now be-
/ gun. ~.
He tried to load his rifle, but some
how things were getting muddled
and mixed, and he could not lift his
| gun.
Suddenly there was a yell, and
he was conscious that the Afridis
wcro closing in upon him. The end
was coming. He hoped they would
not mutilato him, and, if they did,
that the old general would not tell
his mother and the girls.
With struggle he was on his
feet. His vision was almost obliter-
atcd now, and he knew it was with
lis; own blood. He throw his empty
revolver full at them. TIe had still
four shots left in the other one,
which he changed into his right
hand, for his left hand somehow
could not pull the trigger.
Blindly he plugged in the four
shots, gripping his weapon hard.
He wanted to put up his right arm
to ward off something and defend
his head, but he could not move it.
He staggered. Something seemed tc
explode inside his brain, and he fel.
down over tho horse, but there was
the victor's smile on his face. He
had won, for he had saved Dora.
"TIc would have had the v c. fol
this had he lived, said the old gen
eral as he stopped down and gazei
into Baby's face, with it's boyisl
smile, beautiful in spite Of all the
Disagreement Of dust and blood
upon it, He was stern man, bu1
the tears fell thickly as he scruti
nized the form of the young sub
altcrn to see if there were a chance
of life
Far away in England, in a cottage
nesting away half buried among
the oaks and elms of a quiet little
village in Yorkshire, a mothe7
weeps for her boy, who died like ;
soldier, as his father before him.
In the same village lives an elder
ly spinster, who fights with the rec
: tor and the curate She has bee1
| called a sour old maid, though sh'
} is not SO old as she looks, but sh,
has altered very much since the day
OF the picnic in India Pooplo won
, der at her devotion to the widow
lady whose son was killed in India
The vicar knows, for he wen
through the whole Of Baby's privat
papels-Baby was an old pupil O
his-but he keeps his own counse
md is always patient with Mis-
Dora S eccentricities. Answers.
-~---------------
Satellites of Uranus.