Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1909-02-18

signs of the passage. and finally there
was proof ahead that Pillar had stop
ped to give battle. He had reached
his vantage ground. Cornell and his
men drew back and waited. Nightfall
came and with it the spiteful crack of
the Mauser rifle. A brawny trooper
toppled over with a great hole In his
head Pillars pickets could see like
cats in the night The native scout
reported that the big village of Con-
cepcion was not far ahead; Pillars men
were making their stand before this
rather important stronghold.
"Well get a scrap that Is a scrap,
boys" said Connell exultingly. "These
fellows are going to put up fight at
last. They're like bees up yonder.
We've got to fall back on the COM
pany. If we don't. they'll chew us up
before the little captain can get to us"
Too well did the men know the belli-
cose temperament of the big Irishman
to think of grumbling at such com
mand. yet 1t 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 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
xxyhi 70 nd oil 40
Indifference to their taunts annoyed
them. One day he knocked down tn"
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 new respect that
forbade the reporting of the incident
to the officer of the day.
Every night before he lay down to
sleep, in the rice field or the barrios,
he took from his pocket leather case
and gazed at the small portrait it shell
tered. No one had been permitted to
see him in his devotions, for that was
what he called these sacred moments.
His lean face, full of fierce energy all
day long. softened as his eyes de-
voured the dainty miniature.
Halt! Who goes therep
A shot rang out in the stiffness Of
the night. 1t was answered at once
by another closer in. More shots fol-
lowed. gradually increasing to fusil-
lade as the scouts and pickets came
running back. Men sprang up from
the ground. but even as they did so
another volley reached them, and three
men dropped with groan and lay
still The alarm sounded clear from
the bugle and echoed back from the
surrounding hills. A sharp command
came from the throat Of the sergeant.
The company seized the stacked rifles.
Captain Groce gave another order. The
formation to repel attack was made
In an incredibly short space Of time.
There was no disorder, no confusion.
The little officer was as cool as IL on
dress parade.
Steady, men! Wait until they're
nearerr'
They had not long to wait. From all
sides a horde of shouting. firing men
were rushing on the little square.
Here they are! Now. then, boys.
6rev'
volley after volley rang out. The
foremost OF the enemy fell at their
feet. Hand to hand was the fighting.
The bayonets lunged with deadly eff
feet. but seemed powerless to thrust
the mass back on itself Men shot,
hacked. stabbed and dubbed each 9th
er. II was a whirl of uplifting and
descending rides and bolos.
Fierce oaths Wed with the shrieks
of the wounded for supremacy. The
grunt Of men who slaughter. the gasps
Of the victims when the steel went
home. were heard on all sides. At
times the soldiers could not zee on ac-
count of the sweat and blood pouring
from their faces. The very air was
foul from the steam from the living
and the dead. They could mot breathe.
A sort Of vertigo overpowered them,
and they only kept their feet BY grap-
ping with the enemy.
To Bansemer It seemed that all his
life he had been doing nothing but
warding on and delivering blows.