Frontier and pioneer life -- West (U.S.) -- Fiction; Indians of North America -- West (U.S.) -- Fiction; Self-sacrifice -- Fiction
Diana leaned back in their compartment in the train northbound for
Scotland. The bustle of the outgoing crowds was holding Henry’s
attention as she glanced over the afternoon paper, which gave a
prominent position to the brilliant wedding that had taken place at St.
George’s only a few hours ago.
Suddenly she espied a name that made her heart leap. A brief paragraph
told of the reward to be conferred on Captain James Wynnegate, but a
longer account followed, giving details of his gallant work in the
Northwestern Hills.
A great longing to see the friend of her childhood came over her. She
was ashamed that she had forgotten him so long.
Henry entered the compartment, the guard closed the door, and the train
started on its journey. Her husband spoke to her and she answered him
in an absent manner. The sudden remembrance of her old playmate grew
vividly and seemed to blot out all else, as, following on her
self-reproach for forgetting him, came the thought, growing more
poignant; "Did Jim remember her?"
*CHAPTER IV*
Jim lay in the hospital ward convalescing. Of the march back to the
nearest hospital post, after the fight which has taken place three
months before in the Northwestern Hills, when his name had been flashed
over Europe in praise of his magnificent service to his flag, his mind
held no memory.
Night after night in his delirium he lived again through the scenes of
the fight that had brought glory to his name. Now it was the evening
before the battle, when, acting upon information brought by the spy
Rham-shi, he and his men kept their long vigil, sitting silently in
their saddles the entire night awaiting the onslaught of the fanatical
natives across the hill. Again it was early dawn, and in his
fever-tossed dreams he heard the roar of the voices as the assault
began; again he climbed to the summit of the hill and saw the dreaded
gun of the enemy that was riddling his men. On—on he mounted. He felt
the warm blood ooze down his body, the mists swim before his eyes, and
the stinging pain pierce his side. In despair that he might not reach
the monster in time to prevent it from completing its deadly work, his
cry of agony often rang out in the silent room.
"Oh, God, God, my men—my splendid men—give me courage!"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account