The San Francisco call., 1905-02-19

Forrest In direct defiance to West
Point principles and army etiquette,
gripped the hand of the private 1t
was a mute but eloquent expression
Of esteem that words could not ex-
press, and Jansen understood and
valued it ACCORDINGLY.
It's the only way-Or i wouldn't let
you risk it, said Forrest. with a catch
in his voice. You haven't even a
fighting chance-you know that as well
as i. But there's a bare possibility. an
almost impossible hOpe-just one in
thousand, mind yOu-that you can get
through alive. You've seen how those
fellows shoot. Darkness is all that will
save you. Wrap the cape around you;
take off your side arms: they're too
heavy; here's my revolver. / can use
your gun. Watch your chance-and
CO." Again he pressed Jansen's palm
and turning hastily made his way to
the other end of the bowlder
Jansen threw the cape about his
pocket and made his way to Gregg's
side. Gregg was his .bunkie' and from
the same town-where Jennie was
awaiting his return Jansen tapped
softly on the others shoulder and
pointed upward to where a small.
swiftly moving cloud was just touch
ing the lower edge of the moon.
I'm going. JOHN he said. handing
him the tinJype. If / dent come back
YOU give her this-and tell her-you
know" Before the other could reply
he had made his way to the farther end
of the stockade- There he crouched
motionless, until the cloud had entirely
muttered prayer as he went. Jansen
sprang forward into the darkness. striv-
ing to keep the trail which he knew
would lead him in the desired direc-
tion.
1t was as if some giant hand had
quickly drawn an Opaque shade across
the great nocturnal lantern OF the sky
and left the world to founder In an
inky void. Jansen knew that he was
headed s<ight and that the country be-
fore him was open. So he plunged
ahead. But he could see nothing-not
even the ground upon which he trod.
He fought down the terrible sitting
remonstrance Of the mind to hurl it
self against black nothingness, the
sensation every one has felt when CROP
ing IN absolute darkness. IF 1t only
lasts-is it only lasts" he kept Wpeat-
ing to himself. For, upon the small,
swiftly-moving mass OF vapor IN the
sky there hung his safety; his life
and that of twenty-nine comrades in
the beleaguered stOckade. If the cloud
passed too quickly, he would be seen.
There were more Tagai sharpshooters,
doubtless, in the trees. They had
Mauser rifles and had already given
evidence of the fact that they could
shoot Internally straight He looked
up. where the moon had been and
where a moment before there was
naught but blacknesS. He thought he
could detect, or rather sense-it was
so slight--a little haze of light. A few
rods farther he looked again. Yes, 1t
was palmer now-that fatal lumin-
aEce. The cloud was passing and the
light would soon break forth. 1t had
all happened in less than a minutes
tIme-though it seemed an hour to
the man who was speeding away from
lurking death, into the night The
forest was scarce four hundred yards
behind as the first ray Of returning
moonlight fell athwart Jansen's patti
He was running, now, with all MS
might and main. Caution was
secondary consideration In that open
country, devoid of any cover. mov-
ing object would be plainly discernible.
The farther away he got the more
chance of bullets carrying wide. jan
sen did not expect pursuit. Tagals are
not brave. and. to follow him, the
natives would have to pass the little
fortress. wherein men waited. eagerly,
for the sight of dusky form. with
rifles whose accuracy had already
been demonstrated. 1t would, more
over, be easier-far easier-to pick off