Part 40 (1/2)

Alain

I was stationed near our own villa Leaning over a parapet, I could not help, as I gazed around ht Not far off the lake shone in the moon's rays like a silverthe trees and hedges was spread a thin blue gauzy azed, and was falling into a reverie, a puff of white s of a bullet close to my ear, warned me that the attack had co visible just before then, but the field on one side of our villa was now oneon towards the ditch and breastwork

At the sa

That savage crowd, kept at bay by the spikework, et for our men that could hardly be e in less than a roans and yells of anger and pain

But this, after all, was not thethe lines I soon discovered that Moncrieff was concentrating his strength there, and I hastened in that direction with five of e of a _cacique_ on horseback, whose shrill voice sounded high over the din of battle and shrieks of the wounded He literally hurled his ates and ramparts here

But all in vain Our fellows stood; and the _cacique_ at length withdrew hisa volley or two as they disappeared behind the hedges

There was comparative silence for a space now It was soon broken, however, by the thunder of Indian cavalry The savages were going to change their tactics

CHAPTER XXV

THE LAST assAULT

Never before, perhaps, in all the annals of Indian warfare had a more determined attack been made upon a settler's _estancia_ The _cacique_ or _caciques_ who led the enemy seemed determined to purchase victory at any cost or hazard Nor did the principal _cacique_ hesitate to expose hi the whole of the first onset he moved about on horseback close in the rear of his men, and appeared to bear a char past him as thick as flies Moncrieff hi hi the final assault he was equally conspicuous; he was here, there, and everywhere, and his voice and appearance, even for athem never failed to cause his men to redouble their efforts

It was not, however, until far on into the night that this last and awful charge was e foe advanced with a wild shout all along the line of rampart that connected the Moncrieff main _estancia_ with our villa This was really our weakest part

[Illustration: The Indians advanced with a Wild Shout]

The assault wason some time beforethem and could fire They seemed mad, furious; their tall feather-bedecked spears aved high in air; they sat like huge baboons on their high saddles, and their very horses had been imbued with the recklessness of their riders, and ca over our frail field of spikes It was to be all spear work till they came to close quarters; then they would use their deadly knives

Hardly had the first sound of the horses' hoofs reached our ears ere one, two, three rockets left Coila Villa; and scarcely had they exploded in the air and cast their golden showers of sparks abroad, before the roar of an explosion was heard high up on the braeland that shook the houses to their very foundations--and then--there is the awful rush of foa could withstand that unexpected flood;and helpless, before it

Just at the tiri quickly round found Yambo athis blood-stained sword in the direction of Moncrieff's house, and I could see by the motions of hishad occurred, so dreadful surely, and despite the excitement of battle a momentary cold wave of fear seemed to rush overfellow had been everywhere conspicuous to-night for his bravery He had fought all through with extraordinary intrepidity

Wherever I had glanced that night I had seen Sandie, thedown on the white shi+rt and trousers he wore, and which ure, as he took aim with rifle or revolver, or dashed into a crowd of spear-armed Indians, his clayrasped his shoulder, pointed in the direction indicated by Ya of an outbuilding and reached Moncrieff's terraced lawn, the din of the fight we had just left became more indistinct, butheard sounds that, while they thrilled us with terror and anger, rass with the speed of the panther

They were the voices of shrieking woe and exultant yell of the Indians

Looking back now to this episode of the night, I can hardly realize that so many terrible events could have occurred in so brief a tied up across the lawn not six minutes could have elapsed ere all was over It is like a dream, but a dream every turn of which has been burned into my memory, to remain while life shall last