Show the Ch he Cas C st g lo n JI War WarI r t tI I ii iiI I Bo p 2 James Barnes f if you ou look took in lit a report made ade by Lag Eng J JJ J 11 laud mis s greatest surgeon n you wilt will find And nd j I mutt r ase age No W ii a concise and oe eJe i a count of a bullet wound The TheL L mrM ur of the latH ball is i traced with all aU allt 1 i t auray a y and exactness of a sue Bur sues Burh j u x s un h I tiSO phraseology We Wre are told I jd nit I lit Ill merciful little J i L k t i steel Manser Mause bullet passed t nt i ugh h the body of Case No lu lii but butti butil ti il i ase ae IM No NJ N 10 to is and under what I i n he received the wound i i t III it is i no fl 11 part of a surgeons report I il i 1 v a it t does doe not appear In the old I i when hen the tearing t ring shattering J I I 1 n millets did their fearful work I i t 1 N 10 14 have bave been a sur sni surI I p ii as ase e he would have been in the j I j 11 1 I list As it is thanks to the I ii fly ll perforating bullet which cau I i 1 m its us own wound he is now alive j ml nd Id ll though shot in what used to toi i log as a vital spot This is fg ii dual story of how ho Case No 10 16 i iii i ii It was ea 1 it at the second bat battle tie of the j II uj lla la and the date if 1 remember i 11 I nt rr tu tic was wa as the Dd of January Cap Capt t tin m ii Ditton R B A M N C which means J i d il Army Medical corps had been dl I I on n to U attend to a wounded of off f ii un on n the flank of the army i 1 L 11 maill mi lx body budy dy of which was wan a already f ilm b tIk t k across the i s hu h it had endeavored to ad adI adI 1 I fi fl t iK the hidden riflemen who ho I 1 i N S among the th TOCkS rocks it II I v w is I quite late in the afternoon afternoonS aft VM S Jon h us reached rath d the spot and on the 5 v S in t I h attendant 8 I i SI i 11 k d 1 up a badly wounded man mani i 0 i rm r among the rocks ro ks the sur ur r r Ii i und the wounded w officer Cap Gap CapI 1 I s ir jp j Near by him lay layS I S t hi 1111 Bounded man and so Captain I I 11 found himself in charge harge of a 1 Ji i lits station n all his own H Hk He k 1 d i well wen and as aa he hec I 1 lIl i r c 1 him he be saw that he was as 1 1 i shot ugh the ab abi abSi I Si i n 11 The Tho Th other man lying near nea had hadin in 1 if 1 the same harat r while i t I M Li loI man vho ho had bad been bee carried i iii m In the stretcher was as shot if I Ii Ii i i K i 1 rightly in tw two o places e I I 1 11 Ii h 1 i h lit head and anti lungs The cap eap capr 1 r all English surgeons have 1 1 i i titles bent over his stricken lit ii saw w th the ball had bad gone gote O i through him hi bh yet et he be felt sure RUn S 1 hh t Vi h great care his life might be bej beI I j ut the th ambulances were mere ere from f t mo tin miles away and it would 1 S urn impossible to drive one n over ov r rk KV k uneven ground A glance had always been respected He felt 1 sate sae under r the protection of the little bandage around his arm So he be went wenton on oft with his work There came a vol volley volley volly ley ly and aad the captain felt a sho shok k go through him hint Pausing P using for a minute lie he looked down at himself and per perceived perceived that he was wounded in almost the same me place as a the officer whom w horn he was attending One of the soldiers was shot dead and the wounded man lying on the ground had received re elved a second bullet through the chest The other had been shot through the arm near the shoulder and ami am had fallen dlen f behind a rock reck They were all aU casualties now himself included But somehow w it may have been the effect of training or it may have been the surgeons abstract interest in the case he continued working ng the blood and binding up the wound of his hi friend determined dt termine to work as long as ag ashe ashe I he was w able The Boers Boors approached They gotoff got oft off their horses and were ere standing close ose about him His job was almost flushed A sickening feeling was coming over him and he fell feU slowly slow slowly Slowly ly back and lay looking up at them The anger aneer that came over oyer him made him speak peak in cold slow tones Look what you have done he lie said id You have shot me a surgeon perform performing ing in his ais duty and you have hav fired upon the wounded Do you call that war Were Vere very sorry sir said a mid middle middle middie dle die aged ed bearded ard fellow in good Eng lieu We see who you OU were ere We V thought you were wert lying there and were w ore about to fire on us The T others stood about silently l lean leaning an aning ing tl against again t their th ir saddles The man who was vas slightly wounded through the arm stood up he began beg n nto to wear swear ar The captain l silenced him and he be sat down doun on the rock nursing ida his wounded arm And now comes c mes the theR strangest R t part of the story and one that UIt if it It had bad not been verified would be hard haYd to believe The Boers Beers bent over and examined the wounded men They shook their heads The captain felt f lt his bis senses going the weakness was becoming bf t overpowering Some on spoke poke in Dut Dutch h and nd a horseman mount mounted ed The captain looked up and nd asked slowly iy Who is it in command here Well Wen I suppose I am said a low ruffian ruman who spoke n ish Well W q for heavens sake sak let this slightly wounded man go and get bet help for us usH Hes H our prisoner said the th bearded one Joe Weve got to take him along alonge we e cant stay here Surely youre not going to leave leae us in tots title or There re was no answer The next t thing ng the captain I t tL k f Hi HiN HiI h N I I 1 az S h t ho r ifan showed that his case cases s IOUS dOII on n also Three casual casualS S i S the I h ai a of the dangerous S Il hope tc te the friends n fl me U wh vh h would read ead the returns S Three casualties and andS S her r The men who car cw I rt not lIt members of a regular i p f 0 but two kl fl been n pressed for the nonce n n fl had get out hui hie badger bd j lId 1 i j applying the first aid a aHI s i HI hl jy i i deftly as he could wh when n ni tn rn f t h men mn standing standing by touted shouted i Senj nl Mv M ty Look Here they come S Um tam I alton iJ raised his head heed in int lr i to t see about aboiM forty BOOtS Boers all ride Into ints Int sight above the r v t sf f the little hill bill GO l yards or S S L I He only glanced glan at t item flein f h thought they must have nave per peri perSi II Si oJ i hat be he was doing and despite te that had b en to In S t 1 l m rn or on side ide the Re Craw mss c Io t tc M c C l J X hers bers wee was semi ne ae i tugging tu mg at ala nis feet teet and then the he lie heard a sound d of horses hoofs goin 8 I away a ay over the rocks He lust lost consciousness When he be came to hi math the sun was down behind the hills hUls and aDd the cold Id evening shadows were coming caming on OR He knew now what the tugging t at his feet had meant his spurs spun wre were gone Captain de Rouge Rougemont Rou Roumont Rougemont mont lying 11 beside him was WU talking he said can caD you hear hearme me roe Yes Yen Were In lit a bad isid way y What shall shan Dont enl move Its th the only thing that Will WU save sav d your life Ute They TRey may find And us in lit the morning Just then a groaning came from where tHe Ute other wounded man n was lying W eJ he ne moaned Md water w ter it h hi voice ale TAo LIe SUIt still Mid w Water to i the Ute worst wont i t li 1 J Jy Jb I y b thing for you ou Lie still What is your name i iThe The man gave gaye it and his number num er and the captain could almost imagine that thata a salute accompanied the answer an yer Can you ou see those other men 1 Yes sir there both dead sir The soldiers agony ag ny was wag sunk MInk in the i soldierly training Keep quiet and lie still I tell you y I ITry i iTry Try to forget your thirst Moving i around will only make you worse The soldier did not reply I The strange thing of it all aU was this There had been no bitter words ex cx pressed against the action of the Boers Doers It had been heen passed by as if by tacit I consent The rhe inhuman part of iU it it the surgeon su on perceived was not intended I for he saw that the enemy I had regarded them all aU as being practically practically J dead men menTo menTo To 10 describe in detail d tail that night of I horror would be too harrowing Cap Captain CapLain Lain tain Dalton knew that his only chance chane of living Jiving was in remaining absolutely still Sin Since he had laM laid down he had hardly moved d a muscle but noor DP Do I Rougemont had begun gun to wander He Hen began n to shout to the stable guard and insisted that the horses were tethered over the bill hill He raised him himself himself himself self on his hiE elbows and a called aloud time s nd a again ain Dalton pleaded with I him in in He would not listen to tore re n In III the meantime the temptation of thirst t that overpowering dreadful agony ony of the sorely wounded had nad been too much for the soldier He h had d man managed managed aged l to crawl to the body of one of I his companions c and had drained his water bottle bottje boo In a few fe minutes his agony ny was increased threefold and he tn tossed rolling and to and fro among the rocks In a few fe minutes he was silent and the doctor knew kne that relief had bad come to him Captain de Rougemont mont was growing weaker but a dreadful thirst was Wag on him too His water bottle was by hy hyI I his side despite the surgeons remon he took a drink It seemed I at first to help him for his mind mIndI ceased Cea ed wandering and then but why go go o on 1 Early In the morning his I moaning ceased Dalton was stiff sUI from lying tying in the same position It was bitter cold and his flesh quivered He felt the thirst too but his will power newer was strong and strange to say the overpowering weak weakness weakness ness seas was leaving leavIn him and his brain was clear to think His thoughts were not pleasant He remembered the great eat birds whose shadows he knew would be sweeping over the ground the next morning He knew that the army had gone back and he reckoned gloomily th the chance of being found He lie knew It was not one in a thousand The sun rose ro e and carefully he raised himself and looked about he was the only one alive Slowly Inch by Inch he raised himself until to his wonder and amazement he found that he could stand tand He Re took a 8 step holding him himself self seif as straight as possible He took another BOther He HP H found that he lie could walk C It took him half I lf an hour bo rte te to go two hundred yards ards to the bottom bottoni of ot the I hill hili where the ground era und was more mo level Iee leveland leveland and there he found a path He beRn to have the interest t of the surgeon eon is In i studying his own ease case How Hew far wouW wout I he be abl ab abIto to gp go before the tM deadly pan would seize him Steadying himself before each movement he went on He Hew saw w no living thing There T re were w re a few bodies here lare and there here where the troops had advanced The sun SUD ron roSO higher and higher and an i soon he Uie sweeting shadows ap not turn his head to to right or left lett nor to p J p 4 4 S q tl I LC 1 i 1 ti J a Sj 1 f fb b tt S HE BB BEHAVED FOR ALL TEE THE WORLD LIKE UKE ONE WHO WO AN ENEMY did he dare are to rest re t Soon ft down In n a hollow he saw w a moving figure It Iti j was Mas wa a n Kaffir working about a little lonely hut He raised his voice TOJ Th man saw sa him but instead of i ito to him liha the black blak made off otTo Again Apin he called He H was afraid to wave his j jarm I arm to beckon be kon for the movement might mean death The Kaffir i and approached him He circled nearer I He behaved for all an the world like one ODe who stalked an enemy The captain I all the time stood silent At last th 3 man came near enough for I i to talk to him and then he saw w the i reason of the white mans strange be behavior behavior behavior I havior 1 Troops baas baits I Yes where are they t The Te Kaffir Kamr pointed Go fetch them The man was w off I I Slowly Dalton begin walking In Uj the some direction In about an hour he be hemet hemet I met some men coming toward him In another hour he lie was in a hospital The 1 only man who had ever six miles with a wound that sho I been vital and had lived Jived to tell ten the tale I Copyright 1900 by J Barnes |