Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1904-03-10
CHAPTER III.
TContinued,l


With horror l cau't explain, !
yhirled around to see the black devil
of traitor aiming revolver, from
the muzzle of which slno &c stili corled.
General Gordon had his hand pressed
10 his heart and | could see the blood
trickling over his fingers That sight
will haunt me all my Vife' l who
have seen many strange ana terrible
things in my time can never forget
what happened OH that awful 2htp
day of January.
II knew the brave Gordon had re-
ccived his death'wound at the hands
of one WAC mad even f'Hght at his
oids, and the conSciousn, IS that the
Syil hour had come seemed to turn my
very blood into molten lava.
"Fearful sounds arose all over
Khartoom, for the signal had been
given that was to indicnte Gordons
downfall. The enemy assaulted the
walls, a portion of the late defenders
ioincd them. and Khartoom became
the scene of IL massacre too terrible
for words.
II assure you. my friends. I did not
stand idle while all this was going on.
No sooner did see the falling hero Mt
my side, when, quick as the Lightning
cleayes the clouds. my sword lcaped
from it's scabbard. Giving true
Yankee yell sprang at the assassin.
The descending blade cleft his nsser-
able skull to the chin. and through all
time shall never cease to rejoice that
1t was the arm of an American that
avenged Gordon's death.
"What happened after that is more
like a dream than Il reality to me- but
! shall give it for what it is worth. l
remember plunging into the thick OF
the fight. All around me arose the
most fearful souEds of desperate
battle. while through khalfoom rang
the SA=icks of poor women ana the
shoNrs of eXulting demons, for the
blaak horde had swarnlcd over the
v;alas, and. in their great fury, seemed
sD spare none.
"More than one went down before
my sword and revolversr for, expect
ang only death, | fought as madman
might.
"In the midst of the melee. covered
with Crime and blood, | could hardly
1be distinguished from or' of the trait.
,or-so!ders who had at last turned
upon their general. Suddenly my
body was claspcd hy pair OF
hands from behind. aml | found my
lself hurled TO the ground.
NATURALLY expected nstart death,
when, TO my surprise, voice called
in my ear:
"'Feign death! would save the
sahib"
ut was my faithful servant Kas.
see. whom l had brought from Bonn
bay. i hardly know why I obeyed
him; it must have been because had
so little power to resist for life did
not seem worth any trouble just then.
"lle dragged me, into he house that
overlooked the river and there Sc
cretcd me. All through the day |
heard the shouts of the victorious
hordcs as they thrOnged through
khartoom. Something had come into
ny mind, and | found that | had IL
object to live for, a nilsson to per-
form. The news of Gordon's death
must be carried to his people, and |
had come to the conclusion that of
all the faithful within the walls Of
Mina, the nnlV
living soul that remained.
might came, and faithful kassee
made his appearance. He had dis
guised himself as one of the enemy.
and thus escaped the common fate
that hefel the defenders of the city.
"t'rom him learned that a clever
scheme la been arranged whereby
we could make our escape down tue
river. The water was very low, but
Gordon had several small. light
draught steamers for use upon the
upper waters of the Nile. One of
these lay not more than stones
throw down the river, tied to the
bank.
"Kassee's bright plan was for us to
drop into the river from the back or
the house, wade down to the boat.
climb aboard and, aided by the dark
ness, east her adrift. When some dis
tancc down the river, we could light
fire, start up steam and, as soon as
daylight came, make good progress
north.
There was something fascinating
about the adventure, particularly as
1t promised to be our only chance.
"Acting under the instructions of
nv faithful kassee clambered
through the slit of window in the
mud wall of the house, lowered my
self by means Of the convenient rope,
and finally stood knee deep in the wa
ters of the Nile below, waiting.
"Wken the eX-sepoy joined me"
continued Mynheer Joe, 1--WE began to
creep along down in the direction OF
the little steamer. 1t was guarded
but Kassee knew where the sentry
was posted, and he attended to his
case while / got ready to unfasten the
ropes.
Il heard a single splash, bu; not a
cry. Then Kassee came to me and de-
clared everything was working all
right. We pushed out into the stream
and began to leave the doomed city
behind As yet discovery had. not
come,