The National tribune., 1901-11-28

out, who knows that that will be better
for youf Maybe l5ou'd lose too much
blood"
I want it out" said Willis.
but suppose | can't get it ont; we
might lose an hour and do no good. Be
! sides, | must. insist that don't ike it,
think my business Is to let your leg
alone; Fm no surgeon.
Take your knife" said Willis, "and
The wound was bleeding afresh, but
did net tell him So
''No," said L; your leg is too valuable
for me TO risk anything of that kind
you refuset'
q positively refnse.r said 1.
We had eaten enough The sun was
almost down. Ear away a low rumhling
was heard, q noise like the rolling of cars
or of a wagon train.
Willis reluctantly consented to start. |
went back to the brook and kaeaded some
clay into the consistency OF plaster;
took off my shirt, and tore it into strips
Against the naked limb, stiffered out, /
applied a handful of wet clay and
smOothed it over; then [ wrapped the
cloths around the knee. at every fold
smearing the bandage with clay. | hard
~ knew why | did this, unless with the
purpose of keeping the lnee-joint from
bending; when the clay should become dry
anu Asthd tltt lttitA HQi4lt Dt tiltAiNtt Ia u
stiff setting which l hoped would serve
for splints. Willis approved the treat
meBt, saying that clay was good for
spraiRs, and might be COED fer wounds.
helped the Sergeant to his feet. He
could stand, but could hardly move.
Fake my gun, said |, "and use it as
erutch.''
He did as l said, but the barrel Of
the gun sank into the soft earth; after
two strides he said, Here! l can get
along better without it. ;" Meanwhile | had
been sustaining part of his weight.
saw now that I must abandon my
gun--a smooth-bore, on the stock of
which, with soldiers vanity, had
carved the letters j. B. [ broke the
stock with one blow of the barrel against
the poplar log.
I was now free to help Willis. Slowly
and painfully we made our way through
the bettom. The cool water Of the creek
rose above our knees and seemed to cheer
the wounded man. The ascent of the
farther bank was achieved, but with great
difficulty.
we rested a little while Here, in the
swamp, night was falling. We saw no
one, neither pursuers nor pursued. At
length, after much and painful toll, we
got through the wood. The last light of
day showed us small field in front.
Willis leaned against tree. his blanched
face showing his agony. | let down a
gap in the fence.
T. was clearly to be seen that the Ser
gealt eouid do no more. and I decided
to settle matters without consulting him.
In the field had seen some straw stacks.
We succeeded in reaching them. At the
bottom of the smallest, / followed out
n sort of cave. The work was but a
minute. Willis was locking on duly; he
was on the bare ground, utterly done for
NTH mi and A. ha
asked, Whats that for?'
For you" l replied
He said no more; evidently he appre-
ciated the situation and at the same time
was too far gone TO protest. [ made him
bed and pulled the oYerhanging straw
thinly around him, 50 as to effectuaIly
conceal him from any Glance passer-by:
took of my canteen and haversack aud
placed them within his re.ch srlE:41l, with
a lump in my throat, / basia lam gsaad-by.
Jones" said he, God bless yor
Sergeant" / saidg go 10 sleep ii you
can. | shall try to retHrn and get sou;
| am going TO ind help; il | ca8 possibly
get help, ] will come buck for got IN
night; but if by noon tomorrow you do
not see me, you must act for the best. IL
may become necessary for you TO show
yourself and surrender, in order to get |
your wound properly treated; all this |
country will be ransacked by the rebel |
cavalry before tomorrow night"
Yes, | know that" said Willis; "I |
viii do the best l can. God bless you, I;
JONES'
Alone and lightened, I made mz way |
in the darkness TO the road which we had |
left when we began to seek the ford. !
struck the road a mile or more TO the /
north of Bull Run, There was no moon; /
thick clouds gave warning Of rain. |
knew that TO follow this road--the same /
circuitous road by which we had adj /
vanced in the morniHg-was not TO take /
the nearest way to Centerville. | wanted |
10 fnG the Warrenton turnpike; but all /
knew was that It was somewhere to I
my right. | determined to make my way
as rapidly as / could in that direction /
through the fields and thickets.
For an hour or more l had blHndered I
on through brush and brake, when sud- I
denly l seemed to hear the noise Of a nov I
ing wagon. l went cautiously in the di- |
rection Of the sound. which soon ceased |
By dint of stsaining my eyes I could |
see an obiong form outlined against the |
went toward it; 1 could hear horses
stamping and harness rattling: still, |
could see no one. The rear of the wagon, |
if it was a wagon, was toward me.
l reasoned: This cannot be rebel I
there would be no need for /
It here; it must be one of ours, or else /
it is private carriage; it certainly is
not an army wagon"
| advanced little nearer. I had made /
mp my mind TO halloo, and had opened my |
lips, when 4 voice came from the amhu- |
anee-a voice which / had heai' hefore, /
and which stHpefied me with astonish- i
ment.
is that you, JOnes?"
/ stood fixed. [ seemed to recognize the
voice, but surely my supposition must be-
impossible.
A man got out of the ambulance. and /
he had pipe in his mouth:
he WAS small man. not more than five |
feet tall / felt as though in the Dreseuce