The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-01-21

seemed all round behind tho gls were still
ut It. They had moved!
The enemy in front seemed to be less in numbers.
They had apparently off to left right. There
was line of firing stretching to the eastward
1t was getting warm; the sub guessed be
nearly O'Clock How much longer would they be abba
to stay there2 The the work now
In businesske fashion. They firing slowly and
saving their cartridges. But this there
BIO left in hour. All round the reports were
growing less and less but occasionally they would break
out In a fresh place as if one had found nest
and poked 1t. The began complain of thirst
The water bottles were emptied long ago.
But the sub thinking again. If he had hun
dred more men-and they could up the path yet
safeyhe throw line on the right work round
carefully and enhladc the front; 1t would be
simple enough. They might the hill! Why had the
colonel not followed out his suggeson at least why
had he not sent ammunition? Ffe might have known
they would need 1t by this time
He took out his notebook and scrbbled few lines,
after making three false Then folded It.
Want that taken down. sir?" asked the lance-cor-
poral I'll take IT,
mo- want you to stay here
"Let go, SIR Tho the other side spoke
up He was good soldier. with handsome disspated
face deporabe drunkard when he could get liquor
LET Talcott take the bottles. too. sr!-.Ere,
along them bottles" shouted the corporal.
They tossed from shelter to shelter, and Tai
co half reclining slipped the straps his shoulders;
then ho took and buttoned 1t into his pocket
Never fear, sir I'll be back-I was born to die in
bed he laughed.
They watched him creep where tho path pitched
over the steep edge down into the santng we'll. He
wrestler down he went with jansc of the water-hottes,
and lay there AS II encouraged by this the Mausers
started furiously
The red-headed soldier in the act OF firing lost the
thumb of his left hand. the thumb OF his right, and
the bullet slancng from the stock Of his rife, rayersed
his cheek In minute he was helpless spectacle
But not word did he utter. He twisted his hands into
his unc and lay back. the picture of despair
An hour went by. There ten cartridges left!
The beyond the hill had not fired shot for fifteen
minutes but there an intermittent swapping round the
edge of the kopje and In front there palms.
taking marksnen lying well hid The rocks on the crest
spotched with bullet marks. crushed and curled-up
blobs OF nickel lead lay all about. But ten
trldges Three belonged to him. The two men the
tanks had thrown down their useless rifes-cne lit his
pipe.
II wonder where they'll take us tot" he half asked
the man beside him.
Fix bayonetsn' put in the sub suddenly.
The looked at him IL they thought he had
gone mad But they oheycd, swapping tho ugly knives
to their rifle barrels and then they lay there waiting
II had told them to charge they would have
forwnrd-it of their responsibility
Just poke those bayonets the rocks. you men,,
the wen show EN- what they'll get IL they
on
The strange signal of defiance flashed as the bright
blades caught the 1t brought drove of bullets and
the lay close.
LET all comet chortled the lance-corporal.
Hardly had he spoken when from about six hundred
yards. directly rear, plungns fire down Tho
Beers had gained the higher the nek There
shelter for the obstinate little band. They
could be picked off-caught like rats in bin. Almost
before could move eight men hit. The red
headed struck in the head and stirred
killed outright Tho little private the lance-
corporal threw down, his rifle, and for the path
bounding the rocks like rubber ball.
For Gawd's sake, sir. let's out OF this" groaned the
corporal Run for it, there's staying here, sir
He to his knees and then crouched down again. his
eyes filed with a wild appeal.
Lets try to get out some of the wounded