The new enterprise. (Madison, Fla.) 1901-1908, 1903-05-14

IA plunge Of rain, which besa1
in the gray Of morning and
lasted till the gray OF sunset-it was
pleasant enough to come 20 camp at
last; to find tents, fires. dry cloth
ing food and drink. II was less pleas
ant TO learn that In the opinion OK
those most competent 10 judge. that
fraction OF the British Army 10 which
we had just attached ourselves was in a
particularly tight corner, and that there
was a practical certainty OK batrie
against Overwhelming odds in the
morning. Hunger and thirst being ap-
peascd, and some faint sensation %
returning warmth being apparent. No
Ian, Dolan and I, who occupied the
same tent together, sat down 20 q dis
cussion Of the situation. Expected re-
Inducements had failed upon our side.
n fanatical and merciless enemy had
trebled in numbers. and IL was long
odds against any OF Us secin: to.mor-
rows nightfalh We became very grave
in while, and we sat down 10 write
home letters In case anything should
happen. Nolan and Dolan had tesla
mentary dispositions 10 make. and In
the case Of each l acted rs witness.
had nothing 10 leave and nobody In
particular TO whom 10 say goodbye.
and had finished my unimportant lit
tie scrawl much sooner than either OF
the others.
We arranged among ourselves that n
any one Of US survived the hazard Of
tomorrow he should transmit the let.
tiers 10 their several destinations. and
there Is no doubt that on that anxious
night many such compacts were made
about the camp. Men who had long
known each other exchanged surprls.
ingly intimate condolences for the first
time. and men who were almost stran.
gers admitted each other to heart So.
crets which would have been forever
unrevealed but for that shadow Of i'm.
minent death which overhung us ALL
1t was Do'an's first experience Of
war. He had so FAR never seen shot
fired in anger, and he was naturally
more perturbed by the prospect Of the
morrow than his two war-hardened
comrades He was a fair-haired, blue.
eyed, handsome lad OF about fiye.a.d.
twenty, and gave one a general idea OF
having lived a clean and wholesome
life and Of being generally unspotted
by the world. But that night he made
a confession.
i want you fellows 10 treat this" ho
said, "as IL you were just a couple Of
Old priests and as II were ut the con.
fessional. Here's Give has got charge
OF all our letters and II we pull through
tomorrow he'll hand 'em back TO US.
and II we don't and he does. he'll see
that they reach their destinations. In
case he shouldn't pull through. and
either Of US should survive, the same
thing holds.'
Yes, yes" said Nolan; that's all IN
derstOod."
Nolan I should tell you. was a man
or about forty. who had rummaced the
world pretty well inside out. and had
seen a score Of campaigns, big and 1T
lie. He was rather dark and sour in
manner a man Of few words and one
OF those people with whom fl is NOT
easy to grow intimate even after many
years.
I'm not worth a lot OF money" Dc.
Ian went on, but have something
like three hundred n year in the funds
and II l drop tomorrow I'm afraid 7
shall give my eXecutors-that will he
one Of you fellows. / suppose little
bit Of trouble. I've left everything 7
nave to woman-a lady-whom I
haven't seen for two years past. /
wish to heaven I'd never seen her nj
hl' nut IN way Ia made myself re.
sponslble for her. and in point Of fact
snes the only woman / ever cared
about, don't know where she is. 7
don't even know her present name. 7
used to communicate with her before 7
ieft England to come our here through
a solicitor in Lincoln's Inn Fields but
about the last hit OF news 1 got was
that he was dead"
You're leaving a hopeful sort NJ iob
behind YOU" said Nolan, shredding n
loose handful Of tobacco for his nine
and rubbing II between his palms.
I've given all the guiding particulars
can said Dolan. He gave us the
name and address Of the late lawyer
and he named HIS managing clerk.
That" he said. "ls the man to ask for
We knows pretty well everything about
ne nnss. and II he can be found no
VIII arrange matters. Only I'm not