Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1904-10-08

But the forty, more or less, were
gone when we got to the spot; we could
hear the cracking OF bushes as they
scampered off and we fired several
shots at them.
The reason that the major did not
keep on was that we heard the sounds
OF retreat going Off In so many dlrec,
tons that he for moment was puz
zled ms To which one to follow.
This gave Dick and me the desired
opportunity, and we seized it.
| That ia. we .-iz.d the maJ,r ana
compelled him to sit down, for his left
sleeve was dyed red and his left han6
was dripping.
"Confound you, what are you doing?"
he cried. "Eh-my wound? Hang it
it's nothing. don't even feel it. Eth:
Hands off there. Forwardv
But We would not let 80 our hold OF
him.
What, slrs; you will not obey? Con-
slider yourselves under arrest, both OF
you. IL"
He began to grow trife pale, prob
ably from loss of blood, and he con
cluded TO give in to our physical per
suasion by sitting down.
We ripped up his sleeve and found
gunshot wound through the muscles
just above the elbow, and bleeding pro.
fusely.
The bleedint vas the only really seri
GUS thing abOat the wound, and Dick
| | IN al 10
make igatures for the arm and bind II
up, using the fragments of the MAJORS
| shirt sleeves.
We kept very silent, we were SO
busy. We We're just tying our last
knot, when the major said:
"Hark"
We listened. In q moment we heard
the distant rustic of bushes. Later
the cracking of a twig. Other similar
sounds followed at intervals, growing
little nearer each time.
They all indicated the stealthy ap-
proach of one or more skulkers.
They're coming back" whispered
Dick. "They think we've retreated."
Reiterated, sir,' roared the major,
spring to his feet and snatching the
revolver from his belt. "Retreated!
I'll show emf
He was off again. The last words
| We're delivered as he ran.
We sprang after him. Luckily we
were in single file, for two tongues of
fire shot out from an ambush just
ahead, and we heard two balls cut the
leaves on either side of our line of
progress.
- a'i,s lnojor.s action was so quick that
he took the enemy by surprise, and
dashed among them in their covert be.
fore they could make off.
There were four Of them. The ma
jor's revolver spoke once-then there
We're three of them.
We found the major as he was closed
in upon by the three. One of them
struck his right hand with gun stock,
just after he had fired his shot. The
revolver fell to the ground, and the
major was all but helpless.
Dick and l could not shoot now, for
the major was too much mixed up with
the black fellows; we each dropped our
gun and tackled our man, using good
old English rough and tumble tactics
with them.
Dick had his man on his back in an
instant. Mine was more difficult. He
had me by the throat--a very fair grip
it was, tOo-and he kept his feet, In
spite of my efforts.
But in the struggle cast my eye
over his shoulder and saw, close be-
hind my man, the major thrown to the
ground Ohanks to his wounded ARM
and quicker than can tell it, knife
flashed In the hand OF the turbaned
foe.
saw 1t was raised high over the
major as he struggled to rise.
The sight gave me superhuman
strength. l literally wrenched my Ell.
emy's grasp free and hurled him back.
wards, down on the majors PROSTATE
form-just as the knife descended.
Then l launched one blind blow at
the head Of the assassin.
The tremendous and successive ac-
tions weakened me to the point of tax.
iiS away my SeuSeS LOT moment. !
reeled and fell.
But when, few seconds later, my
strength came back and regained my
feet, saw Dick rolling the body of a
Hindoo off the majors PROSTATE form,
and that Hindoo had knife sticking
in his side.
AS for the man had struck at,
must have hit him pretty hard, because
it was nearly half an hour before he
came around; and as to Dicks man
well, he was harmless, for time at
least.
The major rose to his feet, putting
and painting, and not quite understand
ing what had happened.
Dick by chance had had an eye on
the proceedings, and explained to the
major that, by my last superhumaE
effort, I had saved his life by clever
interposition Of my opponents body.
For my part, claim that had very
little to do with 1t. 1t was mainly tina,
rash child Of majors luck, say L.
New York News.