The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1901-08-21

1 Without moments pause he plunged
| back in the direction he had come,
leaving the charger on the ground to
pant it's life out as it must. and sought
! to feel his way along. so as to seek as
best he could the companion he had
/ deserted. He still could not see rood
before him. but he went on slowly, with
/ some vague hope that he should ere
/ long reach the man whom he knew
Heath or the fatality Of accident alone
would keep from his side. He had re
1 passed the ground already traversed
/ by some hundred yards or more. which
seemed the length of many miles in the
hurricane that was driving over the
earth and sky, when some outline still
duskier than the dusky shadow caught
his sight. 1t was the body Of horse
standing on guard over the fallen body
i of a man.
i Another moment and he was beside
them.
My God! Are you hurt?"
He could see nothing but an indis-
! tinct and shapeless mass. without
/ form or color to mark it out from the
! brooding gloom and from the leaden
! earth. But the voice he knew so well
] answered him with the old love and
4 fealty in it, eager with fear for him.
when did you miss me, sir? didn't
mean you to know. l held ON as long
as l could, and when / couldn't no
A l T clf "a no RI
see I'd knocked over, SO dark as it
4 was
/ "Great heavens. You are hurt, them"
"Just finished, sir. Lord, it don't
matter! Only you ride on, Mr.. Cecil.
Ride on, / say. Don't mind me. l
never meant you should know, sir. |
meant just to drop behind and die on
4 the quiet. You see, sir. it was just
this way: They hit me as we forced
4 through them. / hoped yoa wouldn't
i miss me in the darkness-;nd the noise
q the wind was making, and you didn't
hear me then, SIR, | was glad
A great sob shook Cecil rs he heard.
. No false hope came to him; he felt that
a this man was lost to him forever, that
q this was the sole recompense which
. the cruelty of Africa would give to a
fidelity passing the fidelity of woman
.sDon't take on about it, sir whis.
pered Rake, striving to raise his head
that he might strain his eyes better
. through the gloom to see his masters
i face. 1T was sire to come some time
i and amt in no pain-to speak Of
. Do leave me, Mr.. Cecil-leave me, 70,
Gods sake, and save yourself!'
did you leave me?'
The answer was very low, and his
I, voice shook as he uttered it, bu1
through the roar Of the hurricane
4 Rake heard it.
THAT was different, SIR he sale
simply. Let me lie here, and go yot
on. It'll soon be over, and there's
naught to be done"
! The morning had broken now, bu1
: the storm had not lulled By the fit
full CLEANS of day he could see the
!. blood slowly ebbing out from the grea1
gap where the lance head was still
bedded, with it's wooden shaft snapped
q in two. He could see the dropped
\. head, and Rake's eyes, smiling 81
brightly and so braYely still, looked uI
from under their weary lids to his
I'D never let you take my hand be
d fore, sir. just take it now, will you
while can see you still? %
Their hands met as he asked it anG
held each other close and long. AL
a the loyal service of the one life and all
! the speechless gratitude of the other
8 told better than by all words in thai
one farewell. A light that was not
from the stormy, dusky morning shone
over the soldiers face.
Don't grieye that way, Mr.. Cecil. [
81 / could just have seen you home again
q in your place, should have been glad
that's all. You'll go back one day, sir.
{, When you do, tell the King ] ain't
q never forgot him."
There was a long silence, a pause in
J which the windstorm ceased and the
clouds Of the loosed sands sank. In
that momentary hush as the winds
sank low the heavy eyes. half sight
3 less now. sought with their old visit
full, dogIike loyalty the face to which
q SO soon they would be blind forever.
Would you tell me once, sir now
HI never asked never would have
q done but may bel might know in this
& last minute you never sinned that sin
you bear the charge on r.
God is my witness, no.
The light. that was like sunlight,
shone once more in the aching, wan
u dering eyes.
ST knew knew 1t was'
Cecil bowed his head over him, lower
q and lower.
HI sh! He was but a child, and r.
With sudden and swift motion,
as though new life were thrilling in