Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-04-27

among the black rocks and through the
dense underbrush in search after water.
Ey some miracle of divine mercy ne was
permitted to pass unscaiheo' anu came
crawling back, dozen hastily fiied can
teens dangling across his shoulders. 1t was
like nectar to those parched, f9Verish
throats: but of food barely mouthfu!
apiece remained in the haversacks .-
The second day dragged onward, is hours
bringing no change for the better. no relief
no Slightest ray of hope. The hot sun
scorched them pitilessly. and two OF the
wounded died delirious. From dawn TO dlfk
there came no slackeniA% or the savage
watchfulness which held the survivors help
IaSs behind their coverts. The me:est up
lifting of a head. the slightest movement
of a hand was sufficient - demons iNt e
how sharp were those savage eye. 40
white man in the short ha-i -clicie ua,e.I ~
waste q single shot now; ell rea!l2ed tHa'
tbeir stock of ammunition was incoming
fearfully scant. yet those schemng deN!is
continually halted them to draw 'he'r ilte'
Another long black night followed. dur
;rg which for an hour so in turn, the
weary defenders slept. tossing uhs ,,S.l
and disturbed by fearful dreams Ihen
CAV and solemn. amid the lingering shad-
ows of darkness, dawned the tnfd oreau
doy of UNEQUAL conflict. All undertsood
that If was destined 20 be their last on TINS
Garth unless help came. 1t seemed utterly
hopeless to protract the struggle Se, they
held on srimly. patiently, half delrlous
f,pp
others haggard faces almost without rec.
oenition. every man at his post Then II
was that old ellis received ms ueath
wound. and the solemn, fatefui WHISPER
from lip to lip alons rr,a Sef1''eo ''"e
that only five cartridges remained
For two DAYS Wyman had scarcely stirred
from where he lay bolstered against tne
rock. Sometimes he became delrious from
fever uttering incoherent phrases or swear
mo In pitiful weakness Again he would
PARTIALLY arouse to his old sense Of soldierly
duty and assume intelligent command NOW
he twisted painfully about upon his side
and with clouded eyes sought to discern
what man was lying next him. The race
was hidden so that all he could clearly dis
tinguish was the fact that this man was not
clothed as soldier
rs that you. Hampton" he questioned,
/ his voice barely audible.
The person thus addressed, who was lying
fat upon his back. gazing silently upward
at the rocky front of the cliff, turned eau
tiously over upon his elbow before ventur-
ing reply.
yves What is it, sergeant? 1t looks to
be a beauty of morning way up yonder.'
, There was hearty CHEEKY ring to his
clear voice which left the pain-racked old
soldier envious.
my Gody' he growled savagely. TITS
| likely to be the last any of us will ever
see Wasn't it you heard whistling just
now? One might, imagine this was to be a
wedding rather than a funeral
And why not. Wyman? Didn't you know
they employed music at both functions
nowadays? Besides, 1t is not every man
who is permitted to assist at his own OBJ
seauies-the very uniqueness of such stu
alton rather appeals to my sense of humor.
Pretty tune, that one was swhistling,
don't you think? Picked 1t up on The Pike
in Cincinnati fifteen years ago. Sorry /
don't recall the words or I'd sing them for
YOU
The sergeant, his teeth clinched tightly to
repress the pain racking him, stified his re-
sentiment with evident effort. "You
may be less light-hearted when yon learn
that the last of our ammunition is already
In the guns" he remarked stiff1y.
II suspected as much" And the speaker
lifted himself on one elbow to peer down
the line of recumbent figures. ITO, be per-
fectly frank with you, sergeant. the stuff
has held out considerably longer than I
believed 1t would, judging from the way
| those dough boys of yours kept popping
at every shadow in front of them. It's a
marvel to me the mutton heads they take
into the army. oh. now you needn't scowl
at me like that, Wyman. I've worn the
blue and seen some service where fellow
needed to be a to sport the uniform.
Besides, I'm not Indifferent. old chap and
just so long as there remained any work