Willmar tribune., 1900-06-13
CHAPTER XVI.-CoNT1NUED.

there ran the crOss-country road con-
Meeting the broader highway, from Ma
late to San Rafael and Paranaoue on
the west, and from Paco by way of Sim
gallon to Pasay. In front of the right
wing all was swamp, morass or rice
fields. In front of the left wing all was
close, dense bamboo and Jungle, save
where the broad, straight roadway led
on past Block House 13, or the narrow
er cart track stretched southwark, over
arched in places by spreading branches,
and commanded at its narrowest path
by the swarm of dusky fighters in
Block House IA. A year before the blue
shirts stOrmed these forest strongholds
from the south, and took them from the
troops of Spain. Now they were COM
PEELED to turn and storm them from the
north; for, just as Stanley Armstrong
said at San Francisco, the Filipinos had
turned upon their ally and would-be
friend. Aguinaldo had bearded Uncle
Sam.
And while the volunteers and regu-
lars to the right could only remain in
support, it fell to the lot of the left
wing of this brave brigade to assault in
almost impenetrable position an enemy
armed with magazine rifles or breech
leaders, and entirely at home. The
bugles rang the signal; the officers in
silence took their station, and, stepping
into the narrow pathways through the
jungle, crouching along the roadways
or crashing through the stiff bamboo,
the blue shirts drove ahead. Two, three
minutes and their purpose seemed un-
discovered. Then suddenly Block House
IA blazed with fire and storm of bull
lets swept the road. The earthworks in
the thiclset to the right and left seemed
tobe crowded with running flame; and
down on their faces fell the foremost
soldiers, their gallant leader shot
through and through, plunging head
long, yet in his dying agony waving his
surviving men to get to cover. Venge-
fully now the "Krags' opened in reply
to Remington and Mauser. The blue
shirts struggled inch by inch through
the network of bamboo. Still the
storm swept up the roadway, and no
man could hope to face it and live. But,
little by little, the low-aimed, steady
volleys, driven in by squad and section
through the canebreak, or by company
and platoon across the westward
swamps, told on the nerve and disci-
pline of! the little brown men in the
bamboo. Their shots flew swift, but
wild and higher. Then daring lad, in
the rough field uniform of subaltern
of infantry, sprang like a cat into the
fire-f1ashing lane, and, revolver in hand
and squad of devoted fellows at his
heels, dashed straight at the wooden
walls ahead. In frantic haste the oc-
cupants blazed shot after shot upon
him and his heroic followers. One after
another three went down; but in an
other instant, the lieutenant leading,
they reached the block house and dart
ed through the open doorway, the last
of its garrison fleeing before such un-
heard-of daring and determination.
And then came the rush of comrades
cheering down the lane, tumbling over
the earthworks and the luckless gang
that, still crouching there, held to their
position, and all the southwark leading
road was ours.
But, over along the next lane, a
parallel track through the timber,
there had been as stern a check; and
the fury Of the fire from the trenches
in the thickets forced brave men to
cover and dropped others in their
tracks. "By God, we must have it," al
most screamed tall captain, pointing
with his sword to the flashing block
house half hidden in the trees. "Hear
those fellows OH the other road? Don't
let them beat us. Come on, lads" aud
out he darted into the open, an instant
target for score of Mausers. Out, too,
leaped half a dozen men, one a tall,
1.-the, superbly built young athlete,
with face afame with resolution and
rage of battle. Out leaped Billy Gray
from the corner of the crossroad, and,
cheering madly, called on others to
follow. Down went the captain, shot
through the knee. Down went the near
most man, the tall youth who was first
to follow. Down went a brawny SER
geant, who had stopped to raise his
fallen captain; but on swept a score of
others while the bamboos blazed with
the fierce volleying of the Krags. For
ward in scores now, yelling like
Apaches, rushed the regulars; and
somehow, he never just knew how it
happened, Gray found himself a mo-
ment later straddling an old field gun
in whirl of dust and dirt and smoke
and cheers, was conscious of omething
wet and warm streaming down his side,
and Of being tender]y lifted from his
perch by brawny, blue-sleeved arms,
half-led, half-supported back to where
the surgeon was already kneeling by
the tall young soldier on whose brow
the last dew was settling, on whose
fine, clear-cut face the shadow of the
death angels wings was already
traced. The poor fellows eyes opened
wearily as he slipped the stimulant
pressed upon him by eager, sympathet-
ic hands, and glanced slowly about as
though in search of some familiar face;
and so they fell on those of Billy Gray,
who, forgetful for the moment of his
ow1, hurt, threw himself by the stran-
gers side and seized his clammy hand.
A half smile fitted over the pale face,
the other hand groped at the breast of
his blue shirt and slowly drew forth
packet, stained and dripping with the
blood that welled slowly from shot
hole in the broad white breast. "Give to
Gen. Drayton- Promise,' he gasped,
and pushed it painfully toward Billy
Gray. Then the brave eyes closed, the
weary head fell back; and Gray, staring