The Benson signal., 1917-03-24

west angle, Cook and Baen here! Tell
Colonel Decker to send Wilson's COM
pany to the northwest angle, Colonel
Bartholomew to send Scott's company
with Wilson's!'
The night was slowly giving place
to the gray dawn. A faint light stole
gradually through the dripping
branches. David could see how yell
low the faces of the wounded looked
in the pale break of day. Baen, he
knew, was wounded mortally, Barthol-
omew hurt.
AS he neared the center of the
camp, Robb's Mounted Rifles, 76 men,
went by him with a rush, the gallop-
ing hoofs thudding on the wet turf.
Here and there the smoldering embers
Of the campfres blazed up again. Da-
vid went on with the sickening work
of the hospital corps.
He was carrying a wounded man to
the shelter of the wagons when little
Jimmy Spencer, Captain Spencer's
fourteen-year-old son, ran from the
tents and clutched him by the sleeve,
begging to be told if his father was
unhurt. David answered the boy re-
assuringly; he had just seen the cap
tain cheering on his men, bloody
handkerchief tied about his head.
When they went back to the right,
Jimmy ran at David's side, refusing to
stay behind.
''Father" he cried, and the soldier
turned at the hail. He was about to
warn the boy to go back when a bullet
struck him in the hip and passed
through both thighs; he tottered and
fell.
'Go back to the tent, son. he said,
smiling. "Your mother will need you
if I don't go home"
He drew the boy. down and kissed
him. For long minute he rested till
his faintness passed; and then he be-
gan calling to his men to fight on.
Suddenly the voice ceased altogether
as ball tore it's way through his
heart.
With the, flies shrill music in their
ears, the, Yellow Jackets held their
ground, though MacMahan, who took
Spencer's place, fell dead, and Berry,
his second lieutenant, fell also; held
it for two hours in the face of the
frenzied attack of the Indians.
The men with the itters were very
busy; not only here but back at the
northwest angle, where the first attack
had been made. At the opposite angle
10 Daviess was still chafing with i'm
patience. From behind a log, sew
enty yards away, a dozen Indian
sharpshOOters were pouring a wicked
fire into the mass of tethered horses
Of the three squadrons of dragons
Parke's, Funk's and Beggs' companies.
Twice Daviess had sent to Harrison
for permission to charge and dislodge
them. The STRIPPING Croghan carried
his third request. Presently Croghan
came back on the run. He was wild
with delight.
'Tell Major Daviess," Harrison had
said, "that he has heard my opinion
twice; he may now use his own dis
cretion."
"God be praised" calculated Da-
viess. Hastily he called for twenty
volunteers. Quickly they threw them
selves in the saddle. David saw them
dash across the little space between
the line and the log where the Indians
were hidden and saw the spurts Of
red flame run along the top Of the log.
For every flash of fire trooper reeled
in his saddle; at the front rode Da-
viess, the idol Of the backwoodsmen.
AS the red warriors began to break
and scatter from behind the log, the
last of their rifles rang out together,
and the Kentuckian rose in his STIR
rups, clutched at his breast, and
pitched headlong.
AS he saw Daviess fall, David drew
a deep breath and began to run across
the wet and slippery grass that lay
between the camp and the ambuscad-
ing woods beyond. The bullets ripped
viciously through the dripping weeds
and tore into the frozen ground at
his feet. He heard shouts of warn
ing, like voices in a dream, behind
him; but he paid no heed and reached
the Kentuckians side unhurt. He
placed his hand under Daviess' shoul-
ders and the dead weight sickened
Elm. Three men from Parkes COM
pany ran out and joined him as he
stgove to. lift the. body; with des-
perate heave they raised up the dying
man and staggered back toward the
line of rif1emen.
The men of Parke's and Beggs' dra-
goons began to cheer as the four men
laid their unconscious burden down in
safety, and the exultant yells spread
like fire from end to end Of the little
plateau; for Daviess had been struck
at the very moment when the attack
of the savages had ceased, and from
group to group of powder-grimed and
blOodstained riflemen ran the shouts
Of victory.
The sky had scarcely lightened. The