Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1905-06-17
DAILY SHORT STORY.
HOW HE GOT THERE.

lean who had been granted all inter
view, was waiting without The gen.
eraI directed that the man Ice admitted.
Martin Bowies was a light complex
Toned man. with very little Of the
American In him. Indeed. he had been
In Europe ever since he was ten years
old, and all OF the Yankee had been
dropped except the dare devil spirit
that he had inherited from his father,
who had been one OF MOsby's men in
the American civil war. while his moth
er had been born In Connecticut. Young
Bowles was closeted with General Nogi
for two hours, al the end of which time
he emerged from the tent and went his
way.
The Russians la one Of the principal
forts defending Port Arthur were eX-
pecting a night attack. Their search
lights were moving neryOusly over the
slopes beneath. star rockets were burst
Ing In the air. casting brief and faint
illumInations into depressiOns directly
beneath them, while parachute torches
served the same purpose Of throwing
light directly downward.
On side hill opposite the Russian
forts crouched man. The light cast
by the star rockets and para chuteS was
too faint To reveal him. but he would be
readily seen II II searchlight We're point
ed directly Mt him. He watched their
motions till lie saw one coming In his
direction. II was moving slowly. aS II
the searchers were examining every de-
tall Presently IL reached his position
and stopped.
There is something trying In having
one or these silent sheaves of light
pointed ut You. You know some one
hidden In darkness il looking at you.
Every stone. every blade of grass about
you. giisteniDg. tells how plainly you
are seen. and you expect either 10 lfear
the splteful ping Of n sharp shooters
bullet or feel 1t pierce your vltals
But the man on the hillside had no
such fear. Indeed. he was pleased
when the light was turned upon him
and stopped. He wore a tattered Rus
Sian uniform. and az soon as he was
satisfied that he was observed he wav-
ell his hand. Then Immediately the
searchlIght was turned away.
The man got up and walked rapidly
down the hill. Midway between the
position he had occupied and the fort
he met a company Of Russian soldiers.
The commander of the fort had sent
them tn enable one of their comrades
to enter his own lines. Perhaps he
might have valuable Information. lie
was taken 10 the general. who quest ion
ed him eagerly.
He said that he WAS Ivan NestlOvsky
and had belonged to the garrison of a
fort near by on the right which had
been stormed and taken the day before
ut dusk. He had escaped In the gather
ing darkness and hidden In n deserted
rife pit on the hillside. There he had
observed the dispositions OF the Jap
anese, who were forming for an at
tack.
asked the general. ION our right or
left
From my position" replied Ivan.
under the light of your rockets and
parachutes. 1 could see them massing
on your left. There is n small force Oh
your right. but they seemed to me to
he nearly ready 10 move"
Il see said the general. THAT willy
fox NOgi Is going to feint on our right
and storm our left" Then he gave or
ders to move the most effective guns to
the left
On the Russian right was the hill on
which Ivan Fsstlovsky had been dis
covered. 1t was just high enough to
prevent the Russians from seeing over
its crest ON their left was compare
Z H.
swept 10y their artillery. beyond which
the ground was again uneven. AT 2
o'clock in the morning suddenly n para
! chute revealed n force OF japanese
marching ia "A depression in the ground
far to the right where the view was
not ObStructed 10y the hill. At the
! time considerable force was oh
served further away on the left. This
seemed to confirm VANS story. But
rhe force on the right grew larger and
when within range an overwhelming
force of Japanese hurried over the
crest Of the hill and before the guns
cOull be turned swept on TO the mOat,
planted scaling ladders and In a
twinkling the fort had been captured
Il wish 10 see General Nogi," said
OiAf VI Tue IbhSNtbh
g"ud Japanese
The officer la charge looked at the
man nS II he suspected his sanity. bu:
was stiIl more surprised when the gen
eral hurrying up with his staff Was
hailed by the prisoner. and turning
came mp to him and embraced him.
We owe you everything" he said.
Then he told the officer that he would
take the prisoner away with him.
The two went 10 that side Of the fort
which had not been fought over and
when the general sHw the guns all
there he embraced the prisoner again.
MIR. BOwles.' he said, Il saw through
my glass the Russians moving these
guns and knew that your ruse had
been successful. You have ena bled us
at tile risk of your life To capture