Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1899-07-06
The DRUMS OF THE
FORE and AFT.
By RUDYARn KIPLING
CONTINUED from last week. ]

have told the Fore and Aft that the only
way of dealing with a Ghazi rush is by
volleys at long ranges, because a man
who means to die, who desires to die,
who will gain heaven by dying, must,
in nine cases out of ten, kill man who
has lingering prejudice in favor of life
if he can close with the latter Where
they should have closed and gone for
ward, the Fore and Aft opened out and
skirmished, and where they should have
opened out and fired. they closed and
waited.
A man dragged from his blankets half
awake and unfed is never in a pleasant
frame Of mind. Nor does his happiness
increase when he watches the whites of
the eyes of 800 six foot iends upon
whose boards the foam is lying, upon
whose tongues is roar of wrath, and
in whose hands are three foot knives.
The Fore and Aft heard the Gurkha
bugles bringing that regiment forward
at the double, while the neighing Of
the highland pipes came from the left
They strove to stay where they We're,
though the bayonets wavered down the
line like the oars of a ragged boat
Then they felt body to body the amaz-
ing physical strength of their foes. A
shrek Of pain ended the rush, and the
knives fell amid scenes not to be told
The men dubbed together and smote
blindly--as often as not at their own
fellows. Their front crumpled like pa
per, and the so Ghazis passed on. their
hackers now drunk with success. fight
ing as madly as they
Then the rear ranks We're hidden to
close up, and the subalterns dashed into
the stew-alone, for the rear rank had
heard the clamor in front, the wells |
and the howls Of pain, and had seen the |
dark, stale blood that makes afraid. |
They were not going TO stay 1t was
the rushing Of the camps over again
Let their officers 60 to hell if they
chose They would get away from the
knives
Come on T. shrieked the subalterns
and their men, cursing them, drew
back, each closing into his neighbor and
wheeling round.
Charters and Devlin, subalterns of
the last company, faced their death
alone in the belief that their men would
follow
you've killed me, you cowardsp
sobbed Devlin and dropped, cut from
the shoulder strap TO the center of the
chest and fresh detachment of his
men retreating, always retreating,
him underfoot as they made
for the pass whence they had emerged.
kissed her in the kitchen and kissed her in
the hall.
Childun, child'un, follow mel
oh. eolly, said the cook, is he gwine to kiss us
allf
Halla-halla-halla halleluiahl
The Gurkhas were pouring through
the left gorge and over the heights at the
double TO the invitation of their regi- /
mental quickstep. The black rocks were
with dark green spiders as tn
)ugles gave tongue jubilantly'
n the morning-in the morning by the bright .
When Gabriel blows his trumpet in the morn {
ingl
The Gurkha rear companies tripped
md Numbered over loose stones. The
ront files halted for a moment to take
took Of the valley and to settle stray
'oot laces Then happy little sigh OF
ontentment soughed down the ranks,
nd il was as though the land smiled,
or behold there below was the enemy,
nd ii was to meet them that the Cur +
has had doubled so hastily There was b
Ill., l.. -
nent. The little men hitehed their ku- I
ris well to hand and gaped expectant- il
: at their officers as terriers grin ere Fl
he stone is cast for them to fetch The
iurkhas ground sloped downward to
he valley, and they enjoyed fair view
the proceedings They sat upon the
owlders to watch, for their officers o.
'ere not going to waste their wind in y
ssisting to repulse a Ghazi rush more a
nan half a mile away. Let the whits n
len look to their own front :,
Hi. yil" said the subadar major,
tho was sweating profusely. Dam n,
)ols ycnder, stand close order This is A,
o time for close order; it's the time
lr volleys. Ughl" .-.... =,
hofflned, amused ana indignant, the Va
iurkhas beheld the retirement-let us
e gentle-of the Fore and Aft with a
mining chorus of oaths and commenta-
les
They rum The white men rum OF
olonel Sahib, may we also do little
mining = murmured Runbir Thappa.
he senior jemadar of
But the colonel would have none of m
. Let the beggars be cut mp a lit at
e, " said he wrathfully. SERVES EN- of
ght They'll be prodded into facing
,und in a minute " He looked through pr
is fieldglasses and caught the CLINT of III
q officer sword. sh
Beating 'em with the fat damned
,nscriptsl How the Ghazis are walk an
ig into them &" said he 81,
The Fore and Aft, heading back, bore Ia
18th them their officers The narrow WI
PES Of the pass forced the mob into in
lid formation, and the rear rank de sh
vered some sort Of a wavering volley.
be Ghazis drew of. for they did not di
now what reserves the gorge might NO
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