Part 18 (2/2)

The ht as day

'Will they co; not for hours yet Believe er We are well prepared'

'Oh, Alec, Alec!' she answered, bursting into tears; 'it is you I fear for, not o with you when they co here--oh, it is the waiting that takes all the heart out of yptian darkness!' murmured the old lady in her sleep Then in louder, wilder key, 'Smite them!' she exclaimed 'Smite this host of the Philistines fro,' said Moncrieff 'But, oh, we'll laugh at all this by to-'

One hour, two hours went slowly, painfully past The her, and shone clearer and clearer, but not yet on all the plains were there signs of a h our people knew it, swarthy forrass, with spears and guns at trail, pausing often to glance towards the camp they ets yet brighter Moncrieff is watching Shading his eyes fro to every sound Not a quarter of a mile away is a little marshy lake From behind it for several minutes he has heardowls; but they must have been startled! They even fly towards the ca of the approach of the swarthy foe

Suddenly froe of the lake a sound like the blast of a trumpet is heard; another and another, and finally a chorus of truoes are seen wheeling in the ht,' says Moncrieff; 'they are creeping through the grass Hurry round, Dugald, and call the men quietly to quarters'

Moncrieff hion

'Go do,' he tells the sentry 'I mean to fire the first shot'

He lies down to wait and watch No bloodhound could have a better eye

Presently he sees a dark forrass There is a sharp report, and the figure springs into the air, then falls dead on the paer With a wild and unearthly screa fro and advance at the double towards the fort--for fort it is now As they coht as well fire in the air

Moncrieff's bold Doric is heard, and to some purpose, at this juncture

'Keep weel down, men! Keep weel to cove_rrr_! Fire never a shot till he has the o_rr_der Let every bullet have its billet Ready!

Fire-_r_-_r_-_r_!'

Moncrieff rattled out the _r_'s indefinitely, and the rifles rattled out at the same time So well aiered The savages wavered for a ti their yells They fired again, then, dropping their guns, rushed on towards the breastwork spears in hand It was thus that the conflict commenced in dread earnest, and the revolvers now did fearful execution The Indians were hurled back again and again, and finally they broke and sought cover in the bush Their wounded lay writhing and crying out close beneath the ra these were alsothe savages take to the bush, Moncrieff's anxiety knew no bounds The danger of their discovering the horses was extree would speedily follow defeat They would either drive thehter thereat a catastrophe? A forlorn hope was speedily formed, and this my two brothers volunteered to lead On the first shout heard down in the hollow--indicating the finding of our horses--Donald, Dugald, and fifteen men were to rush out and turn the flank of the swarthy army if they could, or die in the attempt

Meanwhile, however, the ene and desperate tactics They were heard cutting down the bushes and s afterwards it looked as if the whole as advancing bodily up towards the breastwork on that side

A rapid and no doubt effective fire was now kept up by Moncrieff and his men This delayed the terrible _denouic movement was not made on our part it could not wholly thwart it

At all hazards that advancing wood must be checked, else the horrors of fire would be the prelude to one of the most awful massacres that ever took place on the lonely pa to himself

'It blows froald, 'but not quite in a line See, I aald,' cried Donald; 'I ao'

'Brother, I spoke first'

'Yes,' said Moncrieff, quietly, 'Dugald o now Take five men, ten if you want them'