The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1904-03-02

You're r1gAt! Tne answer "Ae
given in q shrill chorus Of childish
voices.
This is the battle we're going to
fight. and we must wait till we can
see the whites Of the enemy's eyes"
He looked at Miss Melville, who was
laughing, and the captain, whose lip
was curling with amused tolerance,
and his face became suddenly grave.
"It's a sort of kindergarten" he said,
apologetically. I'm surprised and
grieved that you should view it in a
spirit of levity. III tell you, it's no
ping-pong, this fighting battles. Come,
kids"
Miss Melville wiped the tears Of
laughter from her eyes and gasped for
breath. The captain solicitously ap-
preached with camp chair.
won't you-:' he began, then
stepped back quickly, taking the chair
with him.
Bertie saw the action, and in the
same instant saw its cause. A MAN.
moth cannon cracker, containing suf-
ficient strength within its smooth shell
to kill a horse if exploded from below,
lay sputtering not twelve inches from
Miss Melville's heels. He saw the
horror stricken face of the boy, who,
unable to control his zeal, had lighted
the crackers fuse, and had been IN
able to extinguish it, as he had intend
ed. Bertie saw the. captain retreat for
ty feet or more, and heard him franti-
cally tell the girl to jump. And he
dashed forward, scattering children
to the right and the left, his eyes blaz-
ing.
"You-you coward" he cried, indig-
nantly, to the retreating officer. why.
didn't you"
He threw the bewildered Miss Mel
vile aside with such force that she
assumed q sitting posture upon the
grass, her hat tilted over one eye, her
sunshade crushed beneath her. He
picked up the sputtering cracker and
turned menacingly toward the captain.
His intention was obvious. The crack
er would have been cast straight at
that heroic gentleman's head had there
been time. But, unfortunately or 9TH
erwise, as the matter may be viewed,
there was not time.
Bang"
Bertie, blinded, deafened, stunned
seemed to whirl, whirl like top. And,
when the force Of the momentum was
exhausted, like top he tumbled over.
His ring had fallen from his finger,
and automatically Miss Melville had
taken hold Of it. The world turned
black. Her eyes closed. Her con-
sciousness foated away upon moan.
When it came back and she again
was all things knowingly, her compan-
ion, the voluble lady, was sitting be-
side her plying a fan. Other ladies'
were also there. At little distance,
leaning in picturesque attitude
against a tree, was the captain.
"Berte-brave Bertie!' she mur-
INJURED.
Yes, DEAR" the lady began, talking
at once. "Mr. McFarland's been TAX
en- to the hospital. Wasn't it lovely of
him to do as he did? He's not badly
hurt-not so badly IS might have been
expected, considering that one of those
atrocious denominations exploded in his
hand. His eyesight is affected,
though not permanently. the doctors
say. 1t was an awful shock, wasn't
it? So unfortunates for Mr.. Ware
hams plans, too"'
Miss Melville struggled to her feet.
Her face was drawn and white. Her
gown was crumpled and stained with
green.
II shall go, think" she said, fore
ing 4 smile. Thank you ever so much
for what you've done for me. I'm sor-
ry for Mr.. Wareham. No." motioning
back the captain, who came forward.
rendering his arm, 1t is but 4 little
way home. I'll not incon-I'll not need
you, Captain Gorton. No, nor you Ia
dies. 1 should prefer to go alone"
She walked unsteadily across the
lawn, passing through the iron gate
way into the quiet street. At the first
corner she paused, glancing about her.
No one was in sight. Slowly, for the
muscles were cramped, she opened her
clinched hand and lifted it to her lips.
Then she placed Bertie's ring upon her
enga cement finger.-Baltimore Herald.
Word Blindness.