Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-02-21
rmApTER NNMI-lContinued

NEXT minute scouts came iu who had
IN been watching the camp of the Black
Kendall all night
These were sleeping not more t'lan ialr
n mile away. in an open place on the slope
Of the hill with pCkets thrown out rpulu
them, intending to advance upon us, II was
aid. as soon as the sun rose, sine" herauS"
Of their number they feared lost to march
at night should throw tAom into confusion
and. in case Of their falling into an am
bush bring about disaster. Such ~ least
was the story OF two spies whom our people
had captured and threatened with d'aih un-
less they spoke the truth.
There had been some question as to
whether we should not attempt night at
tack upon their camp. Of which ! vas
rather IN favor Afte: fun debate. how
ever. the idea had been abandoned, owing
to the fewness Of our numbers the dlSlikc
which the white Kendah shared with the
Black Of attempting to operate in the dark,
and the well-Choscn position OF our enemy.
whom it would be impossible TO rush be-
fore We were discovered by their outpoSts.
What | hoped in my heart was that they
might try to rush us, Notwithstanding the
story Of the two captured spies, and i'm the
gloom after the moon had sunk low and be-
fore the dawn came become entangled in
our pitfalls and outlying intrenChments,
where we should he able to destroy a great
number Of them.
only on the previous afternoon that cum
ming old follow, Hans. had PORTED out to
me how advantageous such an event would
he to our cause and. while agreeing with
h m. | suggested that probably the Black
kendah knew this as we'll as we did as the
prisoners had told us.
Yet that very thing happened and
through Hans himself Thus; old Harut
had come to me just one hour before dawn
to inform me that all our people were
awake and at their stations and TO make
some last arrangements as to the course of
the defense. also about our final concen-
tration behind the last line of walls and in
the first court of the temple. If we should
he driven from the outer intrenchments,
He was telling me that the oracle of the
Child had uttered words at the ceremony
that night which he and all the priests cor
sidered were Of the most favorable import.
news to which | listened with some inn
patience. feeling as ! did that this business
had passed out of the range of the Child
and It's Oracle As he spoke, suddenly
through the silence that preCedes the dawn,
there foated to our ears the unmistakabie
sound Of rife. Yes, rifle shot, half a
mile or so away. followed by the roaring
murmur of a great camp unexpectedly
alarmed at night.
who can have fired that" asked. The
Black Kendall have no guns
He replied that he did not know. Unless
some Of my fifty men had left their posts
scouts rushed in with the intelligence that
| the Black Eendah. thinking apparently that
they were being attacked, had broken camp
| and were advancing toward us. we passed
| n warning all down the lines and stood 90
| arms Five minutes later, as ! stood listen
| ing TO that approaching roar. filled with
every kind Of fear and melancholy fore
boding such as the hour and the occas on
might well have evoked through the gloom
which was dense. the moon being hidden
\ III hon IA
| of something running toward me like a
| crouching man | lifted my rife to fire but
rejecting that II might he no more than a
hvena and fearing to provoke a fusillade
| from my half-trained company did not dc
| Noxt instant was glad indeed, for
| Immediately on the other side of the wall
| behind which I was standing | heard a
| well-known voice gasp out:
| Don't shoot, Baas, IT is !, =,
| 'what have you been doing Hans?
| said as he scrambled over the wall to my
| side lImping a little as | fancied,
| "Baas" he puffed, 81 have been paying
| the Black Kendall visit. crept down
| between their stupid outposts, who are as
| hind in the dark as bat in daylight, hop
| mo to and lana and put a bullet into his
| leg or trunk I didn't find him. Baas
| although | heard him, But one Of then
| captains stood up in front OF watchhre
| giving a good shot. My bullet found him
Baas, for he tumbled back INTO me nre max max
| ing the sparks hy this way and that, Ther
| ran and as you see, got here quite
WHY did YOU play that fools trick?"
asked, seeing that IT ought TO nave cos'
you your life. IL. 49,,
| before Rsas" he replied in the intervals o
| reloading the little rife. Also 1t was th'
| trek of a wise man. not OF a TOOL seems
that It made the Black kendah tnlnk INA
a0nH han