The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-10-31

Stollitoff. and both generals bare their
heads. A CLINT of sunlight rills along
the rapidly moving column. The
parched and painting men on the ridge
spring to their feet as the. welcome
relief is a;pparent to all. and with yels
which echo and re-echo from rock to
rock they drown the exultant cries
of Sulieman's pressing legions.
The glad cheers Of the men, seemed
to be as quickly arrested. for surely the
dark column is composed of horsemen.
Great heavens! what use are 9cayaI-
ry among the precipices Of the Bal
kans? A thrill Of bitter sdisappoint-
hemmed in in that bloody defile.
Suddenly troops of riderIess horses
| break from the mysterious column,
and the dismounted men hurry for
| ward up the hill and spread towards
either flank q Of the encircling Turk.
! ward, and the welcome crack Of the
Krand rifle breaks. Radesky has
saved the day, by hurrying up al Bat
talon of the rife brigade on SCossack
ponies a.. file mounted on. each
little 1T b, beast as t. while the rest Of
on foot. Sunset saw the Turks
sullenly giving ground, and the val
ley of the Yantra, with those thou
sands Of wretched refugees, camping
in its verdant fields, who had trembled
at every blast Of the distant cannon,
was safe for yet another day.
| 1t was the morning which followed
this exploint Of, the resourceful Rade-
sky that Forbes and rode up into the
pass. The Russians had about $4,000
troops facing the Turks, and were now
able to act on the aggressive. In the
| mouth OF the pass the men Of the Po-
do1sk regiment were lying perdu
among the rocks, having earned q
well-deserved rest, for they had just
arrived. having been marching with
out q halt since we saw them fiins
away their tunics at Gabrova the pre-
vious evening. was sketching some
of these brave fellows when, on look
ing around, missed Forbes. He had
but a moment before: ordered our
grooms to keep our horses behind
| the shelter Of the Turkish custom
house at the foot Of the pass, and had
been ascending with me the winding
road leading up to the peak on which
was Fort ST. Nicholas. AS I looked
up the incline there was not a living
soul moving upon it. Behind the nat
ural scarp Of rocks on either side were
men crouching, and one or two Red
Cross flags trailing in the dust told me
! that the doctors were waiting the11
gruesOn1e work. " ~'' y q, +
A furious infantry fire was raging in
the valleys on either flank Of the pass
and the Turkish batteries blazed from
the opposing submits of the noun
tains.t The name Of the Prophet was
yelled from the wooded heights, and
was answered by the ringing. cheers OF
the Russians as they advanced thru
the scrub, skirted the boulders in the
glens around" us, and bent back the
ends of the belt Of steel which was
,,1r IL - ID
position at sunset the day before. 49,
The fight was practically game OF
chasse-croise, for while the Muscov-
ties attacked the Turkish commanding
position on their right flank the Mos
lens renewed their endeavors to cut
the road between the Russians and the
! Yantra valley, and work round their
left. And this 1 discovered for my
self on moving along that quiet and
apparently Notwithstanding road In
front of me, in search of my friend
| Forbes. At first thought q company
Of Russians lying between some rocks
waiting their turn to advance were
Willing away the time by playfully
heaving stones at me; then the mos
quito-like ping of missiles of a differ
ent type made me pause. High up or
the road a figure stood=up from be-
hind the natural scarps and gesticu-
lated furiously in my direction. 1t
was Forbes. Delighted to see him.
apparently safe and sound, I moved
towards him. This seemed to agitate
my friend all the more. The situation
soon flashed on me, and I quickened
my pace, for the Turks were making
that road a perfect hell. In another
moment Twas running on my hands
and knees; in a second more Forbes
caught me by" the scruff of the neck,
and as he dragged me under cover,
breathless with excitement, T gasped
II was looking for you-thought
you were wiped out. Not only that,
you have got the flask, and want a
drink badly ..,-5
| Leave some for. me-" growled my
companion, land for heavens sake
keep your head down, and don't give
me. another shock like that!'' a.
| Apparently, the Turks had told off
sections to shoot at any moving thing