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Bush Advocate, Volume XXI, Issue 285, 5 June 1909, Page 7

All wore falling, falling: all must fall. Yet -a while, and the scattered remnant reached the ruins of an old fanal; a while longer, and they drifted hopelessly away. The dawn broke fair, the sun rose; and the sentry at the Cairo citadel, looking forth, saw a horse and rider threading the narrow defile that led to the. main' gate. The rider was pale and haggard, a dull blindness as of fever in his eyes; and he held with nervous grasp a ragged flag fringed with gold. ■ . ■ Two officers left their breakfast imtasted and ran out to meet him. "Where do you come from? By heaven! It is Captain Laforce!" cried one. ■ "Did you discover the missing squadron? - Where is your own? Speak!" He answered in hoarse, faltering tones. "My squadron has perished, even as the first. The same fate has overtaken 1)oth. All gone ! — gone ! I . am' the sole survivor, and 'l am dying of the, plague." Those \\tere his last words. He reeled ; tiW flag slipped from his hand; anjjl.-'; the silken folds, blown abroad, b^ a passing gust, dropped round, him as he fell forward, and covered, him like a pall."