Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1900-11-11
CHAPTER XIV.
A Narrow Escape.

Ef y o.
fee, half expecting to find the whole
scene changed by that n shot. He
looked around him, everything was the
same. There were no fallen chimneys
no crash of bricks, no sign that the
town was undergoing a bombordment
Only the very air was full of sounds,
That first cannon voice had been ans
wered from the threats of all the artil-
lerv and all the rifles on both sides OF
the river, and as he and his comrades
ran through the streets of Arta to re-
Join their regiment the bullets whistl-
ed over their heads and all around
them.
Now was the time when Vaughan
was to experience the awful sensations
depicted by the vivid pen of Mr..
Winch. Now, surely, he would feel
that palpitation, that sickness, that
longing to fee from danger which
were understood to be the necessary
sensations of every man who found
himself for the first time under fire. He
was almost disappointed at finding that
no such sensations assailed him.
For the first few minutes after they
had come out into the open, where
there was nothing to protect them from
the bullets, he did not indeed expect
every moment to be hit. He was once
or twice half inclined to duck his head
as he heard the angry whizz of the
messenger speeding past, but a mo.
ment's reflection convinced him of the
absurdity of such an act; for if thai
bullet were coming his way, it was
certain to reach him before any move
ment of his could take him out of its
reach. He therefore rushed straight
forward, followed by Major Cheriton
who seemed a little aggrieved that his
raw comrade should take things sc
coolly. Perhaps Major Cheriton would
have enjoyed seeing some signs Of
tremor in his companions face, when
he would have had the pleasure OF
shelving off as a seasoned c~ampaigner
before the raw novice. But Vaughan
was an Englishman. He had not been
accustomed to consider it worthy of q
nan to quail before danger. This was
what he had come out to find, and now
1t was upon him he was pleased to find
that 1t was far less formidable than he
had thought.
AS a matter of fact, not one OF The
bullets did hit him, and before many
mynutss passed away he Ugan to ha~(
the comfortable conviction that i
was very improbable that any bullet
would. The sight of this perpetual
rain of lead falling harmless all abou'
him undeceived him. A little refee.
ton Showed him that being under firt
was not quite so awful an experience
as the author of the Scarlet Stain O.
Battle supposed. A thousand bullets
had already passed him harmless.
there was no reason to suppose tina
the next thousand would not do th'
same. They had got nearly to thC
bridge when they were met by Kalara'
ks, whom they found e%nsconced safely
behind a stone wall in an orchard.
"Colonel Pappayianopoulos has sen
me to meet you," he said. Il know
where to take you. You are to com
with me- y
They followed him accordingly, ant
he led them, not as they anticipated
to where the Colonel's men were post.
ed, but to a small lodge situated a
the entrance of one of the gardens il
the rear.
Here they found two or three peas
ants crouching in a low room. and lis.
tening with pale faces to the discharge
of artillery overhead.
Kalarakis darted through the door
way into the little room, evidently ex'
pecting the two Englishmen to follow
his example.
At first, indeed, they went in, bu'
Vaughan instantly came out again.
What does this mean?" he said ad.
dressing the Greek with some indig.
nation. What are We sent here for?'
'sThe Colonel wishes you to be here,
the Greek answered. This is where
he told me to bring you"
'Nonsense!" voughan replied. eve
came here to fight not to hide our.
selves in a cellar"
The Greek looked at him with con.
sternation.
"Oh, but the Colonel does not want
you to be killed. You are English vol