The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1913-04-05

Now HIS uNlH N.tS Cita a. go 49,
he must save tbs n?ns life. both
for his country's sake End for the sake
Of honor. Lucy would not have had
it otherwise.
I'll tell her" h, said. But youu
pull through. Sergeant. It's . Dad
wound in each place. but the ball mas
only shattered the bone. Now ITO
still behind this rock and walt TIL
the relief arrives.
A wild yell burst forth from beneath
the hill re-echoed from 500 Threats.
The Filipinos were charging again.
And this time they charged home.
The defenders. reduced to less than
twenty men. could not stop that reck'
less onslaught. They drew together.
striking out with dubbed rifles. sur
rounded by ring OF savage. haunting
foes. There was no chance to load.
Al each rife butt fell the fanatics
rushed In upon the wielder slashing
with their long knives. forcing the 9th
ers back. hemming them in. assailing
them from every side. There was no
+, thought OF quarter. Richards found
himself swapping the trigger OF his
empty revolver He drew his sword
and ran alone into the heart Of HIS
foes. cutting them down. eluding their
blows almost iraculously. When at
last he stepped back. having gained .
little SPACE. bnr six Of his men re-
NAMED unscathcd
Suddenly. far down the valley. the
clear notes of burle rang through the
air. Then. over the stiffness OF the
afternoon came the faint sound OF
jangling bits. A cloud Of dust was ris'
ing above the palms. The Filipinos.
surrounding the last of their enemies.
hesitated to rush forward to certain
death. and. swinging his sword. Rich
ards momentarily cowed the bravese
Of them.
"Now, men," he shouted above the
tumult. each Of you take wound
ed man on his shoulder and retire
down the trail. I'll stay here and COW
er you until you reach the road" And.
stepping behind the rock. he seized
the rife OF the wounded sergeant. and.
crouching over him. began pumping
bullets into the ranks of the enemy.
Richards was now facing the say.
ages alone. Poised between two 81.
gantic boulders he could be reached
by but one man at time.
Crack! went the rifle. and at each
shot man dropped. Now his men
were Fastening toward safety Rich.
ards emptied his rifle into the retreat
Ing masses and then, catching up tho
wounded sergeant crcpt down the hill.
It was a whole minute before the No
tives discovered that he was gone.
They dared not follow him beyond
the crest, for they feared the ven.
gcance of those yollow-clad cavalry.
men now spurrius toward the slope.
But they lined the hill and began fir
Ing with their old antelope guns, so
that the bullets Kissed aud sputtered
round the lieutenant as he ran
through the JUNGLE Xip. A mass OF
fused tell pr..pn Wire cleft a tree nj
his side now sNUrt Of dust rose al
his side and another between his feet
well pull Through. Sergeant" he
shouted chccrily TO the man on his
back, and stumbled onward. A yell
from the ridge answered him and q
renewed vOllcying, Twigs. cut from
. the trees BY the bail Of missiles. whirl
ed past him as though driven by CIV
. clOnic force bark i'ew from the palms
and the grass WAS alive as though with
myriad insects. 1t seemed incredible
that anyone could emerge alive Out
OF that storm Then s-s-s. rcd-hO,
> wire seemed to be- pressing against the
lieutenant's arm. and. looking down
Richards saw that the pale yellow 81
his coat was turning bright clare
!. color. At last the spell which ha(
:. held him scathless SO long seemed I,
be broken.
Zip! That one nipped him acros
the cheek. Another missile carrie,
away his hat and the cool breeze O
t the afternoon revived his strength me
mentarily. "A near thing that. Sci
t geant!" he shouted But the maj
on bis back made no reply. and. o
he raced forward. Richards felt hi
. strength waning again. Gradually
9 delirium took possession OF him. H
/ looked back lie seemed to have bee
3. running for hours. and he was les
= than 200 yards from the crest Of tn
. hill. In front of him the relievin
!. hOrsemen were lost to sight in tn
y jungle. In fact, he was at the bottor
, Of the bowl. and the huge ascendln
8 sides appeared snscalable. The sky
I. the earth, the trees spun round hin
8 He seemed to be in Washington agar
g seated at Lucys side, under the oak
Only the thought of her sustained hir
]. for few yards more. Then, quite sue
: denly his legs crumpled beneath hir
|. end he reeled and fell forward.
@ Out OF the profundity he ros
II through a region peopled by spectre
d to consciousness OF his surrounding!
9 He was lying in a bed-a real bed wit
W . spotless coverlet on spotless sheet.
and man in a white linen suit wa
q bending over him.
" Well" he said, you're doing (;
g mously now. Well have you roun
n In chort orIne