The Lexington intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1901-1949, 1908-11-07

pany. If we don't, theyl cneW US up
before the little captain can get to us
Too well did the men know the belli-
cose temperament Of the big lrishman
to think of grumbling at such a com
mand, yet it was with a certain reluc-
lance which invariably accompanies a
backward step that the men retired to
meet the advancing company.
Young Bansemer in his khaki uni
form was not the immaculate, debon-
naire man of the drawing room. Serv-
ice, though short, had been hard and
grueling. His face was even hand
somer with its rugged lines and SET
features. He was thinner and brown
er; his eyes were clearer and a darker
gray; his hair seemed thicker and
fairer than before; his figure more
erect and sinewy. The wistful look in
his eyes seemed to betray hunger for
action; his ever ready eagerness to be
on the move told of his strength and
of his weakness. He had the lean,
active bearing of the panther and the
restless daring of that 1.-THE animal.
No man in the company had stood
fire as valiantly as he. He cOurted the
whiz of the bullet, scoffed at the rig
ors of the march and instinctively was
a good shot with the rifle. He bore no
grudge against the department at
home; he had no grievance.
The. officers recognized in him "A man
of parts. a man of station far above
the position which he had chosen in
the army. He was a source of mys-
terry to the men of his own rank In the
line-the plowboys, the teamsters, the
roustabouts and the ne'er-do-wells who
had gone into the army from choice
or discretion. At first they had called
him the dude" and had laughed at
his white hands and clean jaws, His
Indifference to their taunts annoyed
them. One day he knocked down the
biggest bully of the lot and walked
away without even waiting to see
whether he would arise after the blow
He simply glared at the next man who
chaffed. 1t was enough. The com.
pany held him in a new respect that
forbade the reporting of the incident
to the officer of the day.
Every night before he lay down tC
sleep, in the rice field or the barrios
he took from his pocket a leather case
and gazed at the small portrait it shell
tered. No one had been permitted tC
see him In his devotions, for that was
what he called these sacred moments
His lean face. full of fierce energy al
day long, softened as his eyes de
voured the dainty miniature.
. =
"Halt! Who goes there?"
A shot ran out in the stiffness OI
the night. 1t was answered at oncC
by another closer in. More shots fol
lowed. gradually increasing to a fusil
lade as the scouts and pickets CANT
running back. Men sprang up from
the ground. but even as they did 81
another volley reached them, and thre'
men dropped with a groan and lay
still. The alarm sounded clear from
the bugle and echoed back from thu
surrounding hills. A sharp command
came from the throat Of the sergeant
The company seized the stacked rifles
/, Captain Groce gave another order. Tit
formation to repel attack was made
in an incredibly short space of time
There was no disorder, no confusion
|, The little officer was as cocl as if OF
: dress parade.
STEADY, men! Wait until they're
I nearerv"
: They had not long to wait. From al
t sides a horde of shouting, firing mel
, were rushing on the little square.
"Here they are! Now, then, boys
, frev
, Volley after volley rang out. Th,
[ foremost Of the enemy fell at thei
) feet. Hand to hand was the fighting
The bayonets lunged with deadly eff
D feet, but seemed powerless to thrus
e the mass back on itself. Men shot
hacked, stabbed and dubbed each 9th
er. 1t was a whirl of uplifting ant
descending rifles and bolos.
Fierce oaths We'd with the shrek
q Of the wounded for supremacy. Tn
q grunt of men who slaughter, the gasp
of the victims when the steel wen
home, were heard on all sides. A
4 fines the soldiers could not see on &C
Q count Of the sweat and blood pourin
from their faces. The very air wa
foul from the steam from the Twin
e and the dead. They could not breathe
A sort Of vertigo oyerpowered then
and they only kept their feet by graz
y ping with the enemy.
d To Bansemer 1t seemed that all hi
n life he had been doing nothing bu
warding Off and delivering blow
d Fighting side by side with Rogers, }
h saw, with horror. that the soldier
d rifle had been torn from his hand
e and that he had no weapon to defen
himself, but before he could see jui
d how It happened this individual con
bat had altered its aspect, Rogers ha
II grabbed the Filipino's gun and We
II doing the clubbing. With renewe
n zest Bansemer finished with the bay
Is net his own assailant and saw II
man fall on top Of poor Adams an