The Washington times., 1901-06-30

threat of striking him down before he
| could make some other human being SUI
| fer as he doubtless deserved. He knew
that they were to assault the line midway
| between the two forts of Brandon Hill
and the windmill which reared them
| selves on either hand like huge sentient
! monsters belching destruction. He hello
straightforward. In truth, that seemed
as safe q course as any among the mani
| fold deaths which environed him, and
| which. despite himself, struck out ocea-
Sional ChillS of fear that only deepened
| his passion.
The dawn had quickened by this: great
| shafts of gold struck upward from the
| horizon. cleaying gaps in the clouds which
soon showed wide spaces of tranquil light
Eut the dawn served Thornton only to
see how a soldier in front sprang into the
ar and dropped sideways IN a tormless
heap Before he had steadied from the
sight he found himself at the outwerlSs
| There ali was a bewilderment of move
ment. in which he was swathed in dun.
clinging smoke, and dazzled by the flare
of the firepikes and the leaping flash of
musketry. He busted himself in helping
to hack at the barrier, with weapon or
bare hands as CHANGED, bitterly reSenting
the while the need of wasting blows on
mere earth and stone. Then, discerning a
gap, he put his horse at it, leaped, STUN
bled, and recovered footing inside :he line,
with knot of the enemy charging down
on him. Live men at last, at whom he
fired and thrust, shouting with defirious
eXultation.
Armstrong meantime had taken the at
tack more coolly He was used to sneh
scenes, and the events of the past night
were perhaps not seething in his blood
ana brain as IN those of his antagonist
He was riding as volunteer that day with
Howard's dragons, but he was soon fore
ed. like the rest. to pick his way singly
CHANGING on some very broken ground, he
was forced fror1 his course and then
borne back for some distance by a rush
of retreating men from another part of
the line. As he strove TO disengage him
self, his eye was caught by the figure of
an officer, mounted on a grand, dark
horse, who came toward them at full
speed Armstrong watched him ride into
the midst of a knot of fugitives with pas
sionate suddenness, and sweep them on to
the attack again as 1t were by the wind
OF his presence. On he came, near enough
for Armstrong 20 note the scarlet cloak,
then a flashing glimpse of a keen, dark
face, with eagle eyes, beneath the steely
shadow of the helmet. The next instant
the superb horse the officer rode reared
upright, its face streaming blood. and ut
tered wailing shrek, shill enough to
pierce the mortal clamor round 1t was
prone in another moment, struggling ter
ribly. Armstrong turned, and spurred to-
ward the spot but the fallen man had al
composedly forward: his step neither has
tened nor slackened for the balls which
rent the ground near by.
Take my horse. your Highness,' cried
Armstrong, springing down to make his
meaning clear. for his words were over
uoised.
Prince Rupert vaulted to. the saddle;
yet. intent on his work though he was, he
checked an instant
Il thank YOU he said. in that ringing
vioce which his men could hear through
any crash of hattln. your name?" He
bent down to catch the answer.
Robert Armstrong, sir. ?"
Good, / will remember. Make it heard
today, yonderl" He pointed with a tense
gesture toward the fre-ringed battle
rnents. and with the word was gone.
i am a made man., exulted Armstrong,
as he stumbled headlonS up TO slope;
Rupert doth never less. than his word
Oh, fortunate day.. So that i am not
killed ere reaching the lines. he reflected
more soberly, Fastening his steps to get
out of range of the forts, from which the
place of attack itself was some what shei-
tered.
Delayed as he was, he found the works
already in part demolished; inside, the
line had been well-nigh cleared by Little
tons daring charge, fire-pike in hand. and
the Royalists had swept on. Armstrong
leaped and scrambled across the crum-
bling debris, and barely avoided lighting
on fallen man who reached clutehing
hands at him as he passed. On he hast
ened; the Princes brief words were as
| lightning within him, and he could not
come swiftly enough at his foes But, as
he ran, a faint cry OF Oxford smote
his ear, and, glancing aside, he saw a
struggling group of men at his left. one
of them, bestriding his dead horse, had
| his back to the earthworks and was hght-
| ing hard against desperate odds. He wore
/ the green scarf which Tor tndt day us
! tinguished the Kings soldiers. Arm
strong only paused for breath; he could
do much, he told himself not desert
comrade at such mortal stress. Snatehing
a pike from the ground he ran toward
| them, shouting aloud as he went:
TO me. brother. oxford. oxford"
Then across heaving shoulder he
caught a glimpse of a face he knew
The royaiist had turned to him, guard
| ing his head the while with lifted wea-
pom; and, masked though he was with
blood and sweat and dust, Armstrong
knew Captain Thornton at a glance. BE
was as quickly known; across the young
soldiers face, set in the impersonal fierce
ness OF battle. flashed a look OF keen IN
better DEATH he cried. in a high,
gasping voice, and flung himself on his
Armstrong hesitated. his hand gripping
the pike. The boys insolent madness had
| set him free to strive toward the nope
which made a beacon before him. Then
another thought lcaped to his mind; his
| face flushed darkly.
She he rnuttered. and made long
stride forward, pike in hand.
The fight was brief. for Armstrong came
| fresh TO the work and the ParliameHta
rians knew that their fellows had all re-
| treated. The lieutenant, springing upon
them. thrust one through the Sorget and
| the man dropped. look OF horrible sur
prise stamped on his countenance. Ihorn-
ton, almost spent, made Intellectual thrust
| on thrust, moaning hoarsely as ne struck,
| fellow. using uncommon weapon.
short battle-ax was the last to give way.
When the rest had fed he leaped back,
and getting at Armstrong side, within
| his guard, hewed at him Savagely. Before
! the other could shorten the pike sufncient-
! Is to strike back, he was of, running at
great bounds
leaned against the earthwork. painting for
| breath. his throat dry with dust, and on
| his lips the acrid taste of sweat Sudden
| ly he felt a hand on his shoulder. and
| hollow voice muttered in his ear; Get
me forth of this-lhe hedge yonder--
Looking up, he saw Armstrong; face,
changed and rigid, with no expression in
! it save a blank endurance. Ills heart
| sank with an awe in which was mingled
something of physical fear and recoil. lie
| nut out q hand TO help sustain his COM
| panicn who leaned on him, heavily,
stiijy, all of one piece, like an image OF
stone IT seemed to take them an endless
| time TO reach that hedge, not half score
| PAGES away. Thornton's mind was IN
turmoil Of subsiding anger, relief, distress
gratitude. Clear TO him above all else
| was the pressure of that heavy tWltehlnS
hand on his shoulder
| They reached the he',ge at last, ana
Armstrong, releasing the other stoou ta1ct t
an instant, swayed, and dropped Inc
| hedge shaken by mis- fall, sent down 1T
| tie perfumed shower of dew and hover
| petals Thornton kneeled down, unclasped
| the wounded mans cOrselet, not without
| infinite pains, and made an unaValilng
| effort to staunch the wound. Then he
waited mute and helpless. The life ebb-
| ed visibly breath by breath, from the sol
| diers face, which was settling into nnes
| of absolute remote stiffness. Would he
| pass without WordE
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