The Washington herald., 1915-07-25
Curtis took and shot down the two pursuers

There seemed momentary lull in the
pursuit. loaded my revolver with my
few remaining bullets and began eau
| tiously threading my way through the
! tall yellow grass.
Goaded by the energy of despair. strug-
I Cling with deadly faIntness. l reached
the foot of the hills. and sometimes on
my feet l scrambled upward among the
| brushwood and rugged bould-rs
| had just reached the summit of the
first ridge when | heard rapid steps be-
hind me. and. glancing round. l saw 4
| small 1.-the relocated figure fleeing to-
wards me with the swiftness OF an arrow.
his feet spurning the ground. and every
nervei and muscle strained to .he utmost.
On his track. in hot pursuit, rushed three
or four black swarthy forms. but the uis-
lance between pursuer and pursued did
not seem to lessen. II anything the flu
gitive was the swifter.
Crouching down behind a boulder I
watched, and as he drew nearer l recog-
nized Curtis He was darting past my
hiding place when he caught sight of
me, and painting out an astonished ex-
clams ton. "Marston, You here" he came
to a dead stop.
For PHYS sake, don't stop! Save
yourself" I gasped.
And leave you to die? Never
The boulder only afforded the merest
Pigment of protection. Concsalment was
rock. in front more boulders, divided by
narrow path leading over the ridge
Planting himself in front of me, Curtis
| levelled his revolver.
The next moment four assegais flew
through the air, just grazing our heads.
and then rebounding from the hard rock
dropped at our feet. Advancing a step
| forward. Curtis took aim and shot down
the two foremost of his pursuers and as
the other two-men double his own size
came on with a spring. he fired twice
and they fell.
But the deliverance was only tenn
porary. as we knew. Again l implored
Curtis to leave me and save himself, and
deoii lie ildliS 90, WIN
shattered arm in a sling of his impro-
vising, we set off again. he alternately
dragging and helping me over the rough
est bits of ground.
We had turned the crest of the hill
and had advanced a few painful hundred
yards, when Walters galloped madly
past US, his horse all fecked with foam.
Give Marston a lift. there's a good
fellow. He's awfully chawed up" Curtis
shouted out
''Impossible Horse can't carry two.
Sorry" he called back.
But at last a joyful sight met our
gaze. for beneath us, a mile or two off.
were the cleaning tents of our own
camp. and nearer still a handful of cav
airy coming out in search of fugitives.
1 was vaguely wondering if my fast-fail-
ing powers could hold out till the now
Notwithstanding horsemen could reach
US, when Curtis, a foot or two ahead
of me. suddenly exclaimed, looking down
into the ravine We had just left.
Walters is surrounded. l must go to
him. Our men will be up directly"
As he spoke he was moving off. and
into complete unconsciousness.
When 1 came to myself. l was lying
in the hospital tent. My first inquiry
was for Walters.
.'Oh. nothing serious, An ugly wound
or two; but he'll soon be all right again.
And Curtis?'
He turned away, and brushed his coat
sleeve quickly across his eyes.
All. poor fellow in a husky voice;
then correcting himself. poor fellow. in
deed. Why. the lad was hero. Saved
Walters, and was stabbed to the heart
himself. :Pon my word. you youngsters
didn't half know his WORTH
OF all who fell on that fatal day none
had left behind him such a noble ex-
ample OF heroic self-sacrifice or had con-
ferred more lasting honor on the regi-
ment. And the tears shed by some of
the bravest of our men were the laurel
wreath We wove for him!
(Copyrsht b. the Associated Literary PrssaJ