The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1903-12-04


Deaths last chance. IN SisR oG hl3
record ting SHOULDN'T have begrudged
him that, 10 81 mpstefed out After
forty years Of continuous service soem-
ed to him an ingiorious thing ito smack
almost Of disgrace.
An hour passed away as Private
Bligh sat thinking, and of sudden be
was aroused from his peYerie by the
reports OF rides and whoopB Of exulta.
ton from the north. No need for him
to stand and listen. The shots and
yells came from the Utes, and they
would not be shooting and yelling un.
less on the war path. The lieutenant
and the colonel's daughter had ridden
to the north and perhaps into an am
bush. Fifteen seconds after the first
sounds reached his ears Private Jim
was in the saddle, and as lie rode he
unslung his carbine and loosened his
revolver in its holster There came
into his eyes the CLEAN Of battle, into
his soul n thirst to do or die. His colo.
mel had not given him chance. but
was 1t to come to him some other wayi
There was hot gallop for q mile,
and then Private Jim found the officer
and the girl crouched behind mass
Of rock and a war party Of fifty Utes
preparing to rush them. Both horses
had been shot down and the officer
wounded in the first volley, and the
trooper had only come up when the
Lieutenant was hit again and fell in a
heap.
up with you, grip shouted Private
Jim as he bent toward the white faced
girl who huddled against the rocks.
1.-THE lieutenant Is dead, and It's one
chance in a thousand that we get out
of this. Give me your hand"
BE lifted her up and swung her on
to the saddle in front Of him, and the
bullets were cutting the air all about
them as they dashed away. In two
minutes they were out OF range, but
another peril confronted them. Adozen
Utes had mounted and taken short
cut and Private Jim looked ahead to
find them drawn up across the stage
road running between high banks.
Missy, listen to me-" he said to the
girl he held In his arms. "I'm an old
man. I'm to be mustered out because
I'm no good any more. I'm going to
charge those redskins full tilt. We
may die together. II they kill you and
l am spared, shall carry your dead
body home. II they kill me and you
are spared, hang to the saddle, and the
horse will take you safe in. Just shut
your eyes and hang on. We are right
upon them now. Whoop, hurrahr'
The Indian ponies were massed, and
the Indians were firing at the horse
laundering down, but their bullets
missed, and he struck the lighter horses
to whirl them around or send them
rolling. 1t was a smash, crash, yell,
whoop, and horse and rider were
through. A volley followed them as
they continued their fight, and Private
Jim reeled In the saddle and groaned.
A minute later he said:
Missy, listen again. I've got my
death wound. I'm mustered out OF
service, and it's the way / hoped and
prayed. for. I've lived like a soldier,
and l wanted to die like one. I'll be
out of the saddle in a minute more,
but you hang tight, and you'll be taken
safe in. acknowledgements to hang
tight, and l had got too old for the
service, and Pm mustered out-mus-
tered OUT
And the men who rode out and
found the body with the two bullet
holes in the back and grim smile on
the face with Its wrinkles of age re-
moved their hats and whispered to
each other:
Poor Jim! Poor old Jlmp