Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1901-05-10

SsAA ~ WA NAAA
firing as rapidly as they could be work
ed. The thunder of the cannon md
grape and canister checked the enemy
who. forming Il line of battle, opened u
deadly fire.
Molly. for heavens sake, retire be-
hind n tree to some place of safety
cried Maurice.
mo, l won't" the daring woman an
swered. She had seized a bucket and
was hurrying toward Il spring at the foot
of the hill.
Where are yon going"'
ITO the spring for water; John and the
boys are thirsty" she answered.
Molly was half way back when she
saw her husband suddenly drop the ram
mcr md fall. She ran to his side and
raised his head, tears starting from her
eyes.
John! John! speak to me! Oh, speak
but one word!' she sobbed. But Johns
lips were silent forever, and his voice
would never be heard again. He was
dead. While the woman was calling
upon him in all the endearing terms at
her command, to lust speak one word
more," she heard the officer in command
of the battery order the gun to be re-
moved from the field.
''Why are you going to take Johns
gun away" she asked.
I'VE have no one to man it, and don't
want the redcoats to get it," was the
answer.
II will man it. 1 will take Johns
place, and this cannon shall avcnge his
DEATH"
She seized the hammer, sponged the
cannon and rammed home the shot.
Never has such heroism been known on
the part of woman. When spongcs,
%swabbing cloth md wadding became
scarce, she took her skirt for that pur-
pose, and worked on, shouting and
cheering, and doing the work of a hero.
Gen. Washington was everywhere
along the line of forming troops. British
of shots at him. \ company of Dragons
was sent to cut off the general and Sc
cure his capture. They Numbered over
the marshy ground, and had almost sue
ceeded when, like a thunderbolt, they
were struck by half n hundred dragons
in blue, who, emptying their pistols,
struck them right and left from their
saddles. The Britons, u~naccustomed to
such furious assaults, wheeled and fled.
Washington, having formed Lees shat
tered army, asked him if he would now
command them until he could bring up
the main force. This Lee assured him he
would do, and that he would not be the
last to leave the field. The great white
horse flew over the hill and the battle
ragged.
~ party of British Dragons, while
trying to turn the Americans left, be-
game lost in the wood and n part of
Morsan's rifemen and Maurice's COM
pany was sent to capture them.
Two hundred yards away from where
the fight ragged %thickcst, Maurice was
suddenly confronted by a woman whom,
to his horror, he recognized as Ruth San
ford.
Where is he? Where is he?" she cried,
her eyes wildly dilating, and her face
expressive of insane anxiety.
Ruth! Ruth. in heavens name, what
are you doing here?"
II came to find him. Oh! spare him;
He is mine-all 1 nave left to Lowell"
Sharp firing was heard in the wood
ahead. and Maurice galloped in that di-
rection. His men became scattered, and
he lost sight of them. Suddenly he
heard a voice from a thicket say:
"That disposes of the cursed Hindoo,
and if l can find the woman and settle
her, Sir John will have nothing to fear.''
Maurice clapped spurs to his horse,
plunged into the thicket and next mo-
ment his horse stood by the dead body of
Obejah Sahib. He had just been shot,
and was still gasping in the agony of
death, while the smoke of a pistol foated
slowly above him.
Maurice wheeled his horse about and
started in search of the murderer. The
Roar of battle could be heard on the plain
near at hand, but no one was to be seen.
1.-THE mystery which surrounded that
Hindoo and the secret he knew of Ame-
HAS birth have died with him. the lover
thought.
Suddenly a wild Shrek rose on the air
from the wood i'll front, followed by a
shot. a fallen tree, torn and lightning
riven by the storm of the day before, lay
before lin; his horse lcaped it at a
bound, but, slipping on the muddy
ground, fell.
Maurice leaped from the saddle, his
sword in his hand. Before him was Cap
tain Mark Sanford, kneeling by the side
of Ruth, who had been shot in the breast,
evidently at close quarters, for the bosom
of her dress was burned with powder.
Murderer! Coward!' cried Maurice.
II swear it was a stray shot"
defend your life, for | intend that you
or l shall not leave this wood,'' cried
Maurice.
Both men had emptied their pistols,
but had their swords. From the begin
ming of the conflict the Briton was ex-
cited and confused. He lunged wildly.
tiercely, until his guard was beaten
down, then, like a flash of lightning the
bright, keen blade of Maurice leaped for
ward. plunging almost to the hilt in the
Briton's breast.
For an instant Sanford stood bolt up-
right; then, as the blade was suddenly
jcrked from his body, he uttered a half
audible oath and dropped at the root Of
a tree. Next moment, Matrices horse
having regained it's feet, he was in the
saddle, and speeding away in the direc-
ton of sharp firing on the extreme left.
He found Sam Moulton and two-score
men fighting a host of British Dragons