Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1905-10-18

were strained to the breaking point.
Through the throbbing whirl Of his
brain came a sickening thought. II
the natives were capable of such q
deed as this, how would they treat
the other two prisoners? Surely they
would not dare to harm an American
officer. His mind refused to compre-
bend the thought Of Ellard cold and
lifeless. The image Of his classmate
and chum was too fresh, too vividly
active to be rendered null. No, the
natives could not be so cruel, they
could not be SO inhuman. And yet
that bound figure by the tree. How
slowly the men moved! Why did they
linger when every minute might
mean life or death. to the prisoners?
The men passed over another spur,
and dropped into the valley below.
With every step they moved more
cautiously. Tense and alert, the sub
altern crept onward, braced for he
knew not what. He saw the captain,
crawling on all tours, become entan-
| gled in a trailing vine, and felt an
uncomfortable desire to laugh. It was
broad day now, and the heat grew
sitting in the breathless woods.
A shout and distant laughter echoed
across the valley, and the captain
halted abruptly. After moments
consultation, the troop divided. and
at the head Of his creeping file, the
subaltern turned to the right. Nearer
and nearer sounded the native voices,
and the men knew that they were
close to the insurgent camp. For ten
heartbreaking minutes they wormed
their way over the damp, brown loan,
now and again catching glimpse of
the little clearing, until they had
made a complete half circle.
Slowly they drew near the edge Of
the trees, and the subaltern heard the
sound of hasty digging. A strange
look appeared on the set faces Of the
men, but Wilcox did not notice. He
wondered what the natives were do
ing, fearing to look for the dread of
what he might have to see, and yet
impatient to know If Ellard was alive.
He moved his body until, dirt color
himself. he could watch unseen.
Thank God! At the opposite end of
the clearing stood Ellard, upright and
unframed. Before him, In the center
Of the field, was a rectangular hole
| like a grave, and the natives were
| throwing the earth clods into 1t. Evi-
IDENTITY they were burying some one
who had died, but why did they seem
amused? Brady was nowhere in sight.
Was 1t his body they were burying?
Yelling like an army Of blue fiends,
the captains detachment burst into
| the clearing. Surprised and confused,
the insurrectos turned to flee, and met
the fixed bayonets Of the subaltern's
men.
AS soon as he could break away,
Wilcox ran to one side Ellard was
standing as before, still bound hand
and foot. His face was half avefted,
| but on 1t the subaltern saw a look Of
| the most intense horror and dread.
With cry Of dismay, he dashed for
ward, but a naked, brown figure was
before him. Twice the shining kris
flashed In the air as the defenseless
prisoner toppled backward. Then,
| lodging the subaltern's bullet, the ma
tive turned and fed. Two privates
ccrnered and disarmed him, but be-
fore they could put in a finishing
blow, Wilcox had shouted: Hold on
therei Wait till I comev'
"As you have mercy, put me out Of
this lifev' moaned Ellard.
The tall strong, young athlete Of q
moment before lay helpless on the
ground, a bleeding, legless trunk.
Sobbing, the subaltern d1ppped to his
knees beside his friend, and beat pas
sionately at the earth with clenched
| fists.
Don't, don'tw almost shrieked the
wounded man. II stood here power
less to move while they first cut up
and then buried Brady alive, but
| didn't cryl Kill me. shoot me, have
mercy on me for Christ's sake, but
don't cryv'
A hospital sergeant came running,
| the captain, white with horror, at his
heels. The fight was over. and a
group Of men were working at the
grave.
Wilcox staggered to his feet,
strange curse on his lips The beads
Of sweat plowed deep courses through
the CRIME Of his cheeks. Slowly, with
infinite elaboration, he reloaded his
revolver, and strobe to where the
troopers held the insurrecto on the
ground. AS he went, he muttered
like man searching for some forgot
ten thought "The measures used are
| adopted as circumstances arise. and
must be cruel or barbarous as the ne
| cessity calls for as the neces-
| Sity calls for :"
Three times he fred into the pros
trate body. Zone for Brady. one for
Wright. and one for Ellardw and then
he began to laugh.-San francisco