Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1908-09-09

-~o-oIo-oo0o0o-o-o
The Doral pushed q half-burned
log enc ack into the fire with the toe
Of his boot, then became oracular.
Yes" he said, ''them chaps as you
Boys have been speakin' about were cool
cards enough, but all the same their
pluck and GOODNESS wanted one thing"
IAN what was that, Corporal Carfin,
Eskiri" asked nettled voice.
Choice" was the lacOnic answer.
'fThey were in the mess room afore
they showed the qualities. Now to my
thinkin' the man that walks Of his own
accord into the trouble, not under or
ders, but because he thinks his duty
lies that way and because he rather
likes the risk-well, that man, | take
It, stands for the soldier at his best"
An ave you ever known SIGH a
man, them
Il have-just If hadn't 1 wouldn't
AaYe been here tonight"
''Then let's ear 'ow 1t was. None ov
rs ar for any duty tonight, so there's
lots oy time"
AS the speaker seemed to voice the
general wish, the corporal nodded as
sent and then proceeded to empty his
pipe and stow it carefully away in the
depths of his haversack. The column,
q flying one, was on the march against
= distinctly formidable horde Of jun
gle outlaws, and had entered a wilder
ness where luxuries, pipes included,
were more than scarce, and as the cor
Doral was an inveterate smoker, he
was not taking any chances. Then hav-
Ing made sure that the "dudeen" was
safe, he was about to start his story
when from somewhere in the misty
moonlight shimmering on the djheel be-
low the bivOUac, there came the thun-
derous report of a smoothbore, instant
9y followed by the keen cracking of
Lee-Metford. Those by the fires
ranged along the top of the wooded
rise saw no flashes, nor did they hear
any cries. But from the direction of
the bush-hidGen rearguard the picket
patrol, half a dozen strong, could be
dimly seen as they raced for the spot
from which the sound Of the firing had
come.
For nearly minute the groups gath
cred rouLd the various fires sat motion
less, alert for the call Of the bugle.
None such came, however, and the men
gradually relaxed into their former
lazy tranquility.
Some prowling sniper firing at the
sentries," said the corporal, at length.
SsIt's nothing"
He was wrong. 1t was one sentry
desperately wounded, and the corpse
Of the sniper rolled into the djheel by
the fire of the sentry's chum. In one
sense, it was nOthing-nothing more
than one of the everyday incidents in
the soldiers chapter of chances, SO
that even had the groups by the fires
known it's full import. it is question
able whether it would have dwelt long
IA their thoughts. The soldier on SER
vice wisely keeps clear of reflection.
Most of you boys, 1 take it, have
heard Of the Gulgulias," began the cor
poral. "Yes, well, although their spe-
clal country is Shota N gpore, which,
By the way, they share with the San
tails, that doesn't prevent scattered
bands of them from being found in odd
corners pretty nearly all over India.
They never stay long in one place,
which is quite as well for honest folk,
Sor wherever they turn I'D there Is
trouble. For the most part they go In
for thieving, wholesale or other, but If
\ favorable chance offers of securing
q prize, aid the job can only be done
with the help Of murder-well, then,
murder 1t is. In the ordinary work of
course, and in cold blood, they keep out
Of killing if they can at all; fear of
consequences, 1 suppose, but If they
get their monkey up over anything,
why, then, It's consequences go hang,
and they'll risk anything to get their
knives into the man or woman who
has offended them. I'm telling you all
this so that you may know just what
sort OF pluck Jim Darrell showed them
when he brought or the big bluff I'm
coming to speak OF. For Jim, remem-
Der, knew the Gulgulias through and
through"
"'Alf a mint, corporal" broke in
one OF the listeners. There's a Jim
Darrell in that crowd av mounted in
fantry as Joined us this afternoon. Is
It"