Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1901-03-21
"WEEDS."

a N1PEY and Ripper stood in the
- dock, with a don't-care-a-tig for
~ anybody air.
whats the charge against these fell
lows?" inquired the magistrate.
Drunk and disorderly. your wor-
ship, and assaulting the police"
There was no defense.
ANY previous convictionsY asked his
worship. with a sour look at the two
youths Of promise.
Ripper thrust his hands deep into his
pockets; Snipey, somewhat older.
watched the dock-keepcr with an
anxious eye. There were previous con-
victions.
'"rhat will do!' said his worship,
severely. You arc evidently incorrigi-
BILE. Such fellows are the weed. of So
ciety. It's pity you can't beer
plucked ont. You will be removed to
the house of correction for three
months"
A raw-footed and broken detachment
of British infantry regiment was
stumbling gamely along n dreary ra-
vine in the interior of China The regi-
ment helped make up relief force
which was hurrying to the rescue of a
missionary station Two smart com
panies had mustered in tho gray light
of early morning and had set out to
.econnoiter in the hills. Through child
like faith in the efficiency of the in
formation supplied by a so-calipd intel
ligence department. the major com
manding the detachment had got hope
lessly out of his reckoning The intel
ligence department of the Chinese had
not mislcd them. and by the late after
noon the British had fallen into an am
bush. From the rock ridges Ranking
the ravine the Chinese showed now and
then the CLEAN of a scimitar to their
prey. Little ptffs of smoke appeared
more frequently still, and were some
times followed by sickenng little
'plops," when the bullet met flesh and
bone in the valley. The dead lay
sprinkled in the wake of the British in
dabs of scarlet, as If they were playing
n weird game of hare-and- hounds with
death.
The end of their endurance came
when the shadows of the rapidly ap-
preaching night closed in upon them
The word to halt was given and obeyed,
although its mellow note killed all hope
KatiOns of -four and water were passed
round. and. with the sentries posted,
the little body of British soldiers sat
vOv Of IN,
for night and-death.
Two hours passed; then the COM
handing officer was startled from a
doze by hoarse whisper.
"Majer! majer"
''Hallo!" he snapped. "Who the
devils thntY'
"Me, majer-I'rivit 'Arrlson. I've bin
a-talkin' the persitiOn over with a mate
friend. Begin yer pard'n. sir-o'
mine, an we thinks tleers charnce o
savln the detachment"
There were few explosives in the
darkness.
"Who told the privatcs the detach-
ment wanted any saving?"
Then there was a sound like a SUD
pressed chuckle. and inc whisper re-
asserted itself. by and by the exple-
tives melted into answering Whispers
then followed silence.
Ten minutes after there slipped into
the silence the rustic of gently moving
men.
"Snipey, ole man.
"Kipper!'
Two hands CROPPED rid1culOusly In the
lnky night until they found each other
A few answering cracks from the hills
were followed by the hum Of wasted
ammunition.
"Majer said as 1t was five-ter-one
charnce," replied Snipey. with some.
thing Of Importance creeping into his
tone.
"Wot else did e say. mate. when yer
axed imp
Say? Why. few bloomn' air
filters at fust. as it's is nature to. Then
says |. Me an my pal. majer, reckons
us these pigtails wunt want ter tackle
in the darkness. accuse they might get
cut UP bit. so they'll wait an pot us
comfortable in the mornin'.' Right v
are. ole chap says e. Then | says.
But II We tried to do guy. majer.
ole pal. they'd smell a rat, an be down
on us like a lot O. winter sparrers on Il
hidden Considerable powers o. pen
etration,' e says. Then says l. ma.
jer. here's our plan. Let one or two
stop behind an keep Affirm from diff
ferent places. an they'll think we're
nil ere; then the rest O. the detachment
can creep OF foxy The majer swears.