Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1901-10-04


One by one the Beer guns opened hra
and presently 1t was the Scotchmant
turn. The gun was sighted and loaded
and the order was given to McTurk &C
fire. Standing with his back to the
weapon, McTurk took his pipe from hi'
mouth and shook h;s head.
"Fire!"
"You munna fire this gun while I'm
here"
In a second McTurk was seized, and
by the "Colonel's" orders he was tiet
fast to the liner OF the gun. Your;
fond Of fghting-you'll have a Ed
view there-good-by."
The gun roared.
Presently shells began to burst and
men began to fall. McTurk raised hii
| head, and smile once more stole across
his face.
Fire away, lads" he roared to the
Boer gunners; "Pm getting beautiful
view of the British; fire away. 1t en-
courages them"
But the guns one by ono ceased IA
roar.
Shot shrieked through the air; bull
lets battered ON rocks like raindrops
and the sharpnel whistled overhead.
The Scotchman faced 1t with beamins
smile and q sparkling eye.
Far of, in the distance, minglina
with the rush and cry Of shot and shell
he heard an ever-recurring roar. rising
and falling like the waves Of q sea
coast. 1t was some years since he had
heard those sounds-these were al
music in his ears.
1t was music-the music Of thousand
British voices borne across the African
veldt.
DO you ken what that means?" he
shouted to the wavering Beers. They're
going to charge. Hark!" as there came
a sudden lull In the battle storm. and
the notes of q bugle rang family
they're coming!" @e
There was a glitter as Of sunlight on
the plain below, and the Lancers thun'
dered towards the kopte.
With his arms still tied tightly be-
hind him, McTurk jumped on the linn
ber.. and shouted at the advancing body
of men:
This way, boys-':ome on! Here they
are-come on-hurrah!" And as II II
answer to a great cneer rent the a..
4 And then the horses stumbled, anC
the lances flashed among the retreatin(
Beers.
Tied to the timber. McTurk could mo-
move, but he yelled and shouted ant
swore, until Lancer charged down or
him. and he fell senseiess beneath tn
gun. And there they found him fiv'
hours later, with bleeding wrists and
broken head, but smile still on bill
face.
When he opened his eyes again 1t wa
in the hospital ward. For some tim" II
could not remember what had happened
Then the man on ms right-a wounded
: officer of the I.ancers-spoke: Your
the fellow we found tied to the limbo
of q Boer gun, are you not?"
NcTurk turned his head and grinned
"Thank you, sir, for reminding me.
was lust wondering who l was. re
member now. was Communicated b!
the Beers, and because | refused Il
| fight my countrymen blackguard, call
ing himself a Colonel. had me tied u
the gun. was watching the boy
, charge and cheering them on. when on
Of the fellows was idiot enough to mis-
take me for a Boer, and cracked M
head open. Pity he didn't crack tn
, Colonel's head"
The officer chuckled. "He did"
The man on McTurk's left moved un
comfortably in his -ot The Scotchma
, raised himself on his elbow.
It was the Doer Colonel"
McTurk nodded pleasantly. "Eh, NOR
q but I'm glad to see you there. wan
to talk to you about that gun-dyo
, ken?"
Ere the Boer Colonel left that nos
pital the Scot was revenged.
The umbrella has taken a firm mol
A mon the native of India, or ut any rat