The Virginia enterprise., 1904-12-09

Capt Graham was at his side in IN
instant. w. .>. ~:
Are you hurt, my boy?" he asked,
as he lifted the huddled figure
"Ran irto one Of them on my way
up" murEured Walters. II knocked
him down with my gun. but he got his
knife in first"
they'll pay for it," said the cap
tain, grfmly. He laid Walters on the
bed, and, passing into the adjoining
room, he awoke the surgeon, and whis-
pered in his ear.
"Do your best for that boy" he con-
tinued, as he turned towards the stairs.
II don't know what he's doing out of,
the guard-house, but he's won shoulder
straps tonight"
The building occupied as quarters by
the American troops had been a Cath
olic convent. The officers occupied
rooms elevated at one end, and the men
had their hunks on the stone floor of
the large lower room formerly used az
chapel.
+. In five minutes after Capt. Gra-
ham had left the doctor, the soldiers
were stealing silently out of the wide
doorway and taking their places in
the dark shadow along the front of the
building. Not light had been struck
not word spoken, save by the Of
ficers as they moved softly about walk
ing the men and whispering instruc-
tions in their ears. Without q question
the trained fighters secured their rifles
and ammunition and moved to their
posts. Whensthealast man was in place,
Capt Graham, the senior officer,
stationed himself near the doorway.
There was no moon and a cloudy
sky added to the intense darkness pre-
ceding the breaking Of dawn. The men
had orders to hold their rifles ready,
but under no circumstances to Shoot
until the captain gave the order. Be-
fore them stretched the plaza, on the
other side Of which was a rank growth
Of grass; at either flank was village
street. Nothing indicated that an enc
my was near.
After a seemingly interminable
period of waiting, the glow of morn
ing: began to appear in the east, and
spread with tropical swiftness. The
watching soldiers could now make out
the. dark line marking the opposite
side of the plaza. AS the light grew,
the line on which every eye was
strained took definite form; it
seemed to be moving. Yes, it was
surely coming slowly forward. The
men held their breaths as they lay
prone on the stone front and watched
that living wave creeping across the
square. They looked at their captain.
He was crouching on his knees, his
eyes fixed as if fascinated. Did he
see that that line was advancing? The
Filipfnos would rise in another in
slant for the rush. But not a soldier
thought Of firing; they would await
that word of command.
Nearer and nearer crept the Fill
pinos. Now the soldiers could dis
tinguish the individuals composing
that moving wall. They could see
the long murderous knives.
1t was the moment the captain had
waited for. "Fire!"- voice, rang
out like a whip, followed instantly by
flash of flame and the roar of rifles.
The black line half way across the
plaza seemed to wilt and crumble.
With yells of wild surprise and abject
terror the F'ilipinos fed from that ter
rible hail of death. Then the trump
cts rang out the "Charge," and the
avenging Americans dashed after their
would-be assassins, who scattered like
rabbits, and sought shelter in the
thickets. Two-thirds of the bolo-men
were lying on the plaza, which had
been their death-trap.
Returning when further pursuit
seemed useless, Capt. Graham left
subordinate in charge of the work
of gathering up the dead and wound
ed Of the enemy, and, Fastening up
stairs. he found the doctor bending
over Walters.
Flows that deserter that's turned
hero" began Graham in his hearty
voice. Hell get a pardon and a
medal Of honor for last night
The doctor held up his hand.
The sun streaming through the vim
dow lighted up the pale face of the
dying soldier, and seemed to stamp
upon his features wonderful peace
fulness. His lips were moving. Lean
ing over him, the two watchers caught
| the. murmur: "'When you've heard
the flag a-callin', why, you won't
heed nothin' else" San Francisco
Argonaut.
TIT uAp1r on ccAMnA1