The Carlisle independent., 1906-09-06

seemed very appreciative and pleased.
 m make this into a fortress" he announced. He sent Jones and Patter- son, the two orchard thieves, oIt on sentry duty. He worked the others then until he could think of no more things tO tell them to do. Afterward he went forth, with a major generals serious scowl and examined the ground in front of his position. In retEning he came to a sentry, Jones, munching an apple. He sternly commanded him to throw it away.
 The men spread their blankets on the floors of the bare rooms, and put ting their packs under their heads and lighting their pipes, they lived ill lazy peace. Bees hummed in the garden and a scent of flowers came through the open window.
 There was a sudden little spatter of shooting. A cry from Jones rang out. With no little intermediate scranbling, the sergee nt leaped straight to his feet. Now" be cried, let us see what you are made of! If,' he added bitterly, you are made of anything"
 man yelled: Good God, cant you see you're all tangled up in my cart ridge belt? ?"
 Another man yelled: "Keep off my legs. Can't you walk on the ioor?'
 To the windows there was blind rush of slumberous men, who brushed hair from their eyes even as they made ready their rifles. Jones and Patter- son came stumbling up the steps. cry ing dreadful information. Already the enemy's bullets were spilling and sing ing over the house.
 The sergeant suddenly was stiff and cold with a sense of the importance of the thing.
 There was a howl. There they are! There they comei" The rifles cracked. light smoke drifted idly through the rooms. There was a strong odor as from burnt paper and the powder of fireerackers.
 Now" said the sergeant, ambitious ly, we can beat them off easily if you men are good enough
 There was a fusillade against an- other side of the house. The sergeant dashed into the room which command ed that situation. He found a dead soldier on the floor.
 "Patterson!' cried Sergeant Morton.
 Yes" said Patterson, his face set with some deep-rooted quality ot de- termination. Still, he was mere farm boy.
 Go in to Knowles window and shoot at those people" said the sergeant, hoarsely. Afterwards he coughed. Some of the fumes of the fight had made way to his lungs.
 Patterson looked at the door into this other room. He looked at it as if he suspected it was to be hls death chamber Then he entered and stood across the body of Knowles and fired vigorously into a group of charming plum trees
 They can't take this house." de- clared the sergeant in contemptuous and argumentative tone. He was ap parently replying to somebody. A man who had been shot in the throat looked up at him. Eight men were firing from the windows. The sergeant detected in a corner three wounded men, talking together feebly.
 Don't you think there is anything to do?" he bawled. "Go and get Knowles cartridges and give them to somebody that can use them! Take Simpsons, too" The man who had been shot in the throat looked at him. Of the three wounded men who had been talking, one said apologetically: My leg is all doubled up under me"
 Meantime the sergeant was reload ing his rife. His foot slipped in the blood of the man who had been shot in the throat.
 Why, we can hold this placei" shouted the sergeant jubilantly.
 Corporal Flagler suddenly spun from his window and fell in a heap.
 Sergeant murmured a man, as he dropped to a seat on the floor out of danger, I can't stand this I swear I can't. I think we should run away"
 Morton, with the kindly eyes of good shepherd, looked at the man. You are afraid, Johnston; you gre afraid he said softly. The man strug- gled to his feet, cast upon the sergeant a gaze full of admiration, reproach and despair, and returned to his post. A moment later he pitched forward, and thereafter his body hung Imply out of the window.
 The SC, geant laid his rifle against the stonework of the window frame and shot with care until his magazine was empty Behind him. a man sim ply grazed on the elbow was wildly