The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-03-19

mind, and before he had reached his
goal the square had ceased to exist.
In their march in front Of what
looked like a sface sof cliff. they had
gully, In which, screened by scrub and
powders, 5000 chosen dervishes, un-
der Hamid Wad ,Hussein of the Bag.
garras, were crouching. Tat, tat, tat,
went the rifles Of three mounted in
fantrymen In front Of the left shout
der Of the square, and an instant later
they were squirting 1t for their lives,
crouching over the names of their
horses and pelting over the sandhills
tains at their heels. Rocks and scrub
and mimosa swarmed suddenly into
life. Rushing black figures came and
vert in the gaps of the bushes A
howl that drowned the shouts Of the
officers, long, quavering yell, burst
from the ambuscade. Two rolling vol
leys from the Royal Wessex, one
crash from the screw-gun firing
shrapnel, and then before second
cartridge could be rammed in liv-
ing. glistening black wave tipped with
steel had rolled over the gun. the
Royal Wessex had been dashed back
among the camels and thousand
fanatics were hewing and hacking in
the heart of what had been the square.
"By Jove, they've got thru the Wes-
sex." cried Grice of4the Mallows.
1.-THE divils have hurrooshed us,
Ted" said his brother subaltern. cock
ing his revolver.
The ranks were breaking and
crowdinR toward Private Connolly, all
talking together as the officers peered
back thru the veil Of dust. The sail
ors had run their Gardner out and
she was squirting death out of her
five barrels into the flank Of the rush
ing stream of savages.
"Oh, this bloody gum shouted g.
voice. "She's jammed again" The
fierce metallic granting had ceased,
and her crew were straining and haul
ing at the breech.
"This damned vertical feed!" cried
an officer. THE spanner, Wilson, the
spanner! stand to your cutlasses, boys,
or they're into us. =
His voice rose into a shrek as he
ended, for a shovel-headed spear had
been buried in his chest. A second
wave of dervishes Tapped over the hill
locks, and burst upon tn machine-gun
and the right front Of the line. The
sailors were overborne in an instant,
but the Mallows, with their fighting
blood aAame, met the yell Of the Mos
and dropped 200 Of them with a single
point-blank volley. The bowling,
leaping crew swerved away to the
right, and dashed on into the gap
which had already been made for
them.
But G company had drawn no trig
ger to stop that fiery rush. The men
leaned moodily upon their Martins.
Some had even thrown them upon the
ground. Connolly was talking hercely
to those about him. Captain Foley,
thrusting his way thru the press,
rushed up to him with a revolver in
his hand. Sss5
This is your doing, you villain" he
cried.
cried.
If you raise your pistol, captin'
your brains will be over your coat, y
said low voice at his side.
He saw that several rifles were
pressed forward, and were by his side
| What is it, then q" he cried, look.
ing round from one fierce mutinout
! face to another. Are you Irishmen
| Are you soldiers? What are you here
for but to fight for your country?'
England is no country of ours!'
| cried several.
| you are not fighting for England
You are fighting for Ireland and fol
the empire Of whichit is part
| "A black curse ION the impire!'
shouted Private MCGUIRE, throwing
down his rifle. Twas the impir
that backed the man that druv m,
onto the roadside May me hant
stiffen before I draw thrigger for It."
Whats the Umpire tossuss ayther 2
| cried voice. ~. gzz
Let the constabulary foight TO
her." 8
AYE, be God, they'd be better i'm
ployed than pullin3 q poor man
thatch about his ears 80, =,
"Or shootin' his brother, as they di,
mine.'
1T was the Umpire laid my groanir
mother by the wayside. Her son wi
rot before he upholds it, and We ca
put that in the charge sheet in tn
next court-martial."s
In vain the three officers begged
menaced, persuaded. The square wa
still moving, ever moving, with til
same bloody fight raging in it's entrail!
Even while they had been speakin
they had been shutting backward
and the useless Gardner, with he
slaughtered crew, was already a goo