Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1905-07-31

was eaten with gusto which the
| young men had found missing at the
Reform" and the Rag" anu they one
and all lit the pipe of peace and fell to
smoking.
They had all done a hard days
work; the enemy, a relentless old yelp-
ing fox, was within cannot-shot. the
worst kind of famine drought-stared
them in the face. not one of their
lives was worth a five pounds purr
chase, and yet they lay back and chat
ted. laughed and joked as carelessly
anu nonchalantly as if they had been
reclining on the select fauteuis of a
club smoking-room.
Heron alone lay back silent and alb
stracted but though his eyes were
closed, ne was not asleep.
In his ears the laughter and the
voices of his companions sound indis-
tinct and lream-like, the rough hut,
half filed with smoke, fades into air,
and before him rises the slim, graceful
figure of a girl leaning on gate in an
English lane. her sweet face turned
to the waning light, her sad, dark eyes
fixed upon him with a wistful, mourn
full tenderness.
At intervals a finer face. one of sur
passing loneliness, the face of Rose
Vavasour, the woman to whom he is
pIighted, crosses his vision, but it does
not stay; the sad, pale face of May
Dalton reigns supreme in his waking
dreams to haunt and torture him.
Suddenly there sounds sharp, quick
knock at the door of the hut, the laugh
ter and talk cease abruptly, and in
answer to the ''Who goes there?" the
door opens and a thin, spare man in
Turkish uniform enters.
He is a short, wiry man, with gray
hair and small, keen eyes. that CLINT
like steel in the f1aring light Of the oil
lamp, as he looks round the group.
1t is the general in command of the
fort.
"Be seated, gentlemen" he says,
raising his fez, and he comes TO the
fire and holds out his hand to the
blaze.
He looks so small and insignificant
that one might pass him in a street
without. e second glance. and yet he is
one OF the most famous commanders
of his time The brain behind the
pale, wan-like brow has won a dozen
celebrated battles; the thin, white
hand has waved armies to a score of
harl-won victories.
"Be seated. gentlemen. A beautiful
night .Good-evening, my lord. Good
evening, Mr. Hamilton" he says,
speaking in the purest English.
"Asleep. Sir Heron? I have just been
tc the magazine-you have done the
work thoroughly"
Heron bows.
81 am glad you think so, general"
Charlie Hamilton offers his cigar
case.
"a cigar, general?"
But the little man declines with a
smile, and with swift fingers rolls up a
cigarette; then he seats himself be-
side the fire and chats, but they can
see, one and all, by his manner, that
! he has come among them with some
desperate purpose; and presently he
breaks off in some careless remark
and locks at PierDoint
How is the water?" he asks.
PierEont shakes his head.
''Short-very Short" ne says.
The general mods thoughtfully.
Eyes" he says, as if he did not know
almost to quart how much the fort
held; yes, was afraid so; and Dread
10Y near"
Every man looks up with sudden in
terest. The general mods.
81 was advised that supplies would
be sent by the twentieth. # Pthey
have kept their word at the other end
those supplies are now just outside the
enenly's lines. We must have those
supplies, gentlemen
There is ar intense silence as he
looks around.
eff 1 am right in my calculations
those supplies are waiting in tie west
fork, down in the valley; they are
waiting to pass the lines. We must
set them in, or give UP the game
"Never!" exclaims Charles Hamil-
ton.
The general inclines his head, with
smile, and puffs his cigarette.
st seems to me, gentlemen" he says,
that the only way to get these sup
plies into our midst is by creating n
Jlv, ion in an opposite direction, and
withdrawing the enemy's attention
from Ike west"
1--WE must make an attack on the
east, and, while the enemy is. engaged
there, must slip the convoy in on the
west new, gentlemen and his keen
gray eyes flash around the hut-"who
volunteers to lead the attacks"
Instantly all spring to their feet,
but foremost among them stands
Heron, his tall figure towering above
! the rest
II will leai the attack, with your