Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1901-08-28

These In swift, terse words were re-
peated to the other field officers as they
reported. There was no mistaking the
Intensity of their zeal and interest.
But still no Nathan appeared. "Never
mind" said the chief. pointing to
Where the Columbus were volleying Mt
the lines across the Tripa. We'll find
hisn out there with his men probably,n
and he led the way back across the
slough. Not much we won'tn growl-
ed the colonel of the Columbus In sa-
trio aside to silent Langdon. 'If the
general knew him as Melville does,
he'd know better. Big luck for Nathan
he isn't in Melville's brigade!
oh. never you fear but the old
mnn'll cinch him." spoke up a staff
officer In eager loyalty to his chief,
stumbling on the dixie as he spoke.
AFTER you, colonel. By heaven, there's
Nathan nowp'
The light had broadened. The roofs
and walls of Santa Ana stood in sharp,
black silhouette. against the orient sky.
Forms and even faces now could be
recognized dozen rods away, and
here at the edge Of the Paco suburb,
still sheltered by the wallis, stood Ma
than In crouching attitude peering at
them as they came. rne geurru., turn
ing abruptly to the right, had moved
away toward the firing line. His aid
swiftly followed, and Langdon, return
Ing for his horse, came face to face Mt
the end of the lane with the man who
almost ten years before had driven him
from the army. The silver leaf that
told of equal grade in the volunteers
cleaned on the shoulder of each, but
one had worn it since the list of May,
the other not until three months later.
With the sound of every volley from
beyond the Tripa u flight of bullets
whistled across the dixie and foot
bridge and swept the level fields. Erect
and composed, Eric Langdon passed
from the zone of fire into that of COM
paratiye safety to find the pathway
blocked by this pallid man and nerv-
GUS, fidgetfng pony. The lieutenant
colonel of the Columbus turned in sore
{ embarrassment and funk, kicked the
ribs Of his luckless steed, then awk-
wardly backed him off the track and
stood aside to let his senior by. With
utter contempt In his frowning eyes
Langdon looked his former captain in
the face, passed him without word
and then was astonished to hear the
well remembered voice, no longer loud
and truculent, yet something almost
like defiance or desperation rang in the
harsh, tremulous announcement:
II suppose you know that Melville's
killed and we're ordered to fall backg
CHAPTER XIX.
The guns were stilled at Battery
Aknol3 and the gunners. officers and
men, clustered upon every little mound
and salient, gazing eagerly out over
the smoke shrouded field before them.
OF to the right front, fire splitting
still, grim blocllhouse 10 seemed the
], center of an inclpient conhagration.
Over at the left front on the Santa
Ana road Its twin, No. IL, appeared as
though afloat in slowly drifting clouds
of blush gray. Across the dixie ribbed
fints of the ricefields that ST. etched
away eastward and toward the Pasig
to the left long lines of cheering sol
diery were sweeping to and beyond the
gray walls, where the Tagals were still
desperately battling to save their bat
teries. Two battalions of the Column
bias, their colonel in their midst, We're
dashing straight at the insurgent
works along the Guadeloupe road. The
right wing of the Eyergreens, with
ringing cheer, had enveloped the native
section of the pretty suburban town
and were crashing through bamboo
and nipa, fighting their heroic way
straight for the Plaza and the river
bank beyond, rolling up the yelling
bands of brown men, well nigh panic
stricken at the dash and vigor of the
: American advance. Across the Con-
cordia, at the heels of the brigade COM
mander, the Washoes had carried their
colors, all book rules on the subject
thrown with the silken folds to the
winds of the morning, and then in
magnificent, irresistible charge bore
down with the bayonet on the redoubts
and earthworks toward the river and,
side by side with the Evergreen left
i and two of the reserve companies of
the Columbias, had swept the field like
a cyclone, whirling the yelling rebels
into the stream, tumbliE, eyer guns,
gunners and crouching foes Until in a
mad chorus of eXultant cheers they
lined up Mt the bank over which in
terror scores of their tormentors Of the
early hours had plunged in hopes of
reaching the opposite shore. Along the
parapets, among the bamboo thickets,
under the walls of the old gray convent
and everywhere across the open field
the dead and wounded lay in little
pools of brownish red, brave lads in
blue and tumbled heaps of stricken
! foemen, their loose, light uniforms all
stained and soaked with gore.
Not until after five long hours of pa
tient endurance had the brigade re-
ceived the longed for, prayed for word
to advance, and the pent up rage for
! battle burst like q torrent on an aston
ished foe swept helplessly before it.
Foremost in the magnificent charge of
his cheering men Langdon, sword in
hand, had leaped among the guns ut
the river redoubt, his cheek scanned by
the singing lash of bullet, his hat
brim torn by the desperate lunge of q
bolo, the last thrust of q cursing little
Tagal officer fighting like rat in a
corner. for the bayonet Of lusty SER
Eeant had transfixed him on the spot.
Close under the outer works little
sad eyed squad had gathered about the
stricken form of the gallant old major
dying, sword in hand and with almost
smile on his lips as Langdon knelt
and raised the grizzled head and
stanched the blood that welled from q
mortal wound. Victory brilliant, com
plete, decisive, had rewarded their de
termlned assault, the warrl handclasp
the enthusiastic praise Of the brigade
commander, his "Gloriously done
LangdonW bringing cheer after cheer
from the exultant battalions, but thu
heart of the colonel was sore. 1t was
hard to lose such lives as these thai