Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1906-11-30
CAPTAIN cAerHEws DILEMMA.


risks?"
Il promise, Ethel-for your sake and
for his"
The speakers were Ethel Saville, only !
daughter of Major Gen. Sir John Saville, |
and Gerald Carthew captain in the -th |
Lancers, attached to Sir Johns staff The
scene was the deck Of the transport Mem
phis. just leaving Southampton for Cape
Town, in the early days Of the Boer war
Captain Carthew was passionately in
love with Ethel Saville, but Ethel. while
she had distinct liking for the captain,
was by no means sure yet whether she
cared for him enough to marry him.
She had another sutton, Of whom she
was rather fond-young Viscount Hatch
am, and between him and Gerald Car
thew her affections appeared equally di-
vided.
in due course the Memphis arrived in
Table bay, and the troops were hurried
rapidly TO the front, where Sir John and
his aide-de-camp had been but three
weeks when they foud themselves in
vested by the Beers, together with the
whole of General KS division (of which
Sir John was second in command) in the
now historic town Of Y.
The siege had lasted two months, and
Sir John-upon whom, in consequence of
Gen. X. being Frustrated by enteric fever.
the main Objection Of the defence opera
tons devolved-sent out one of his staff,
daring rider, one morning to recon-
noitre the enemys positions.
When after six hours, this officer had
not returned Sir John sent Captain Car
thew, who, indeed volunteered for ne
service, to find him. SO Carthew set
out, mounted on wiry little native pony.
| in quest of the missing officer
| Meanwhile the latter-about an hour
after Carthews departure-came back
safely into camp. But Carthew went on
| securing the veldt in search of MIN, until
| al IOrfn haar fp na
| dered into the Boer lines. Here before he
| was fully aware Of his peril. he was made
a prisoner and brought before the Boer
commander, not, however, until his prac
ticed eye had taken in many important
details of the enemys positions.
He noticed especially n large lager OF
| Beers several thousand strong-hitherto
| quite unsupported by the British-whch
had been formed just at the rearward
base of Big Gun hill where the Beers
had mounted the heaviest Of their siege
| guns, a source of continual annoyance to
the beleaguered garrison. This force had
evidently been laagered there, out Of
sight of the British, to cover Big Gun
hill and repulse any surprise attack upon
it,
Now as It happened. several plans OF
a surprise attack on this position. with
a view TO putting the big gun out Of
action had been mooted by Sir John Sa-
vile. but-owing to the opposition OF
General Y. the scheme had been aban-
doned. And a merciful thing it was. as
Captain Carthew now saw; for any such
attempt could only have resulted in the
annihilation of the attacking force.
The Boer commandant, whom ! will
designate General H., was punctilously
courteous in his attitude to the prisoner
He questioned Capt. Carthew as to what
had brought him into the Boer lines. and
accepted his explanation without any
demur. saying in the handsomesr way:
1T is all right I am satisfied that yoJ
are not a spy. know I am safe in TAX
( ing the word OF a British officer. Yol
E must remain my prisoner of course. Blu
l / am not going to confne you; you arr
e free 10 go where you like within the limi
g of our lines, provided have your parole.
e Captain Carthew, however, while &C
e knowledging the generosity Of Genera
Us offer, made an earnest appeal tina
he might be sent back to his comrades II
the beseiged camp. and the chivalrou
2 Boer at length consented.
8 well. will let you go back to you
Q comrades, Captain" he said. but onl
s on one condition which you will recog
: nize that it is absolutely necessary for m
d to impose upon you. You must give m
q your word of honor as a British Office
: that you will keep strictly to yourself an
4 information as to our positions which 20
have picked up while in our lines. Civ
me your word to that effect; 1t is enoug
y bound to detain you a prisoner"
II Captain Carthew hesitated for a MON
emit. Then he gave his word. and wa
r. sent with an escort to the limit Of III
8. Boer lines, where he was set at libert'
}. He reached the British camp just as nigt
r was beginning to fall.
He at once reported himself to Sir job
n Savile. who expressed great relief
= his safe return.
ID 81 am glad to see you back" said II
r general land for more reasons than on
d chiefly however because I want you
2 come with me on a little job / have G
st tonight At last I've got General X.
permission TO make a night attack on b
D. Gun hill I start with 500 picked men
k midnight, and we shall have every cham
st to get right on top of the Boer artiller!
OF men in the darkness before they a
e. aware"
m When he heard this Gerald Carthew
To | heart sank Sir John of course kne
nothing of the large Boer force GOVERN
the hil-a force whose presence the
doomed the projected attempt to dlsa
trous failure and the attacking force
certain humiliation.
. He stood there silent and sick AT heal
- He thought Of those 500 brave fellow
his comrades in arms. He thought of 4
general And he thought more than a
of his last promise to Ethel.
II Sir John led the projected attack,
n was 10 900 to one he would never cor
"a. back alive. and he had promised Ell
no to take care of her father-promised
solemnly. word would save him-sa
the whole situation. But between tn
word and its utterance stood the plight
faith of a British officer.
ret One other person there was Of who
ist he could not help thinking. He thong
of himself. What would be his fate,
after what had happened, he were tax
alive by the Beers while engaged in
ed night attack on one of their position
ell They assuredly would hang him as a s
and a traitor.
is+ what the devils the matter with "
y, Carthew?" demanded Sir John, surpris
5-ssii and rather annoyed by his aide-de-cam
r. stolid and discouraging silence. you
&c always been keen as mustard about
schemes for a surprise attack on Big G
- hill and now, when at last I've got
IN IN c. O.'s leave to bring it off, you hav
~ s a word TO say
ms Carthew hesitated, then blurted out
el "A bit risky, isn't 1t, general?"
ost "Risky?" said Sir John IT'S gu
IN to hear you talking like that. Why,
Ier' the years I've known you don't tn
the question of risks ever came into y,
. head before. I must say" added the
soldier, IT am a bit disappointed.
thought that you Of all men would
joice at the chance OF such venture"
Carthew grew hot all over.
'I was not thinking Of myself 81
he said very quietly but Of you, {