TWO SOULS.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXX, Issue 38, 18 September 1902, Page 23

TWO SOULS.

(Concluded). • VI. To and fro in the faint starlight paced the sentinel, now leaning on his rifle and peering about him at the black, shadowy masses of the hills, now letting his eyes go up from their gloomy sky line to tha jewelled depths of the heavens, all carpeted with stars. Back his mind travelled over tho great wild spaces where the waves were marching in their rough, heaving lines. Familiar faces rose up before him; ho saw the excited cnowd follow the bowling match and heard tho old, familiar sound of the solemn Shandon btells., And then he remembered what he waa expecting, and he began to pray. With a long-drawn sigh he turned CLgain-upon hrs beat, whon a slight noise, apparently a short dis^ tance away, made him spring around with his rifle at tho neady. ' Who goes there ? ' he said, in a. stnong undertone, and he listened With a beating heart. Tho answer would surely have puzzled any other sentinel in the whole British army. ' Sacred Heart,' ho heard out of the darkness, and ho stood at ease while a dark figure advanced towards him. ' Now, Joe, kneel down quickly,' whispered the visitor, ' and tell the good God, our Lord and Master, that for His sake you forgive all men,, as you hope to be forgiven.' Silent and trembling tho sentr.y knelt, still holding his rifle erect, with its steel blade showing in the fajint light. A few hurried, solemn words and tho groat gifti was given. Tho soldier was erect again, but tears were raining down his face. ' God bless and guard you now, boy ! Challenge me aloud, Joe, for I must get off to rest.' Challenge and answer broke the silence loudly, and Father X passed, leaving tho lonely sentry pacing to and fro wi.th bowed head and with beating heart that strove to keep its tumult of feelings quiet. Joe's Nino Fridays were finishedf The ear of (Infinite Love was listening again to a soldier's words, ' Lord, I am not worthy,' and tho simple litany of his untutored heart, ' Heart of Jesus ' have mercy on me.' VII. Quickly tho first glimmer of light had spread across the sky. Quickly the stars had faded out, and out of tho front Lieutenant Vereker with some 20 men of Company Ewer»E wer» marching cautiously. Behind them the mountain pass through which they had como showed a deep dip of bluo sky between the frowning hills and a long, widening valley opened in front. On a rough hillock strewn with great boulders from tho height* above and covered with a growth o§ scattered scrub they halted to survoy the ground beyond. 'Wo shall take, to the hillside, men, whero it slopes more easily there, half a mile ahead,' said tho officer, with his glasses fixed on the hills, ' and move carefully. I don't half liko the quietness of that pass behind.' Onward they moved again in wide open order, watching the sky lino with hand-shaded eyes. ' It's like the kingdom of 'eaven,' chuckled one of tho men to has nearest mate. ' There ain't a damned soul in the pi ' The gibe was unfinished. A sheet of flame burst from a small water course running slant-wise down the slope above them, and a babel of wild yells rent tho air as a horde of Afghans seemed to rise out of tho rough hillsido. Hissing through tha long grass camo tho leaden shower. ' Back, men ! back as you can !

and rally on the rise behind," shouted the lieutenant, lflit the n»n were already fiymg. Stumbling, falling, and crouching as they ran m their sauvc gui peut, the hillside ali\e with tho wild leaping tribesmen and the air rent with yells and tho sharp crack of riiie-s. Panting Llu-y flung themselves under tho shelter of the great stones upon the little ridge, and began a steady fire, which quickly checked the ardor of tho hillsmen Their outcry ceased suddenly as it had arisen, and when the white trailing clouds of smoke hod blown away thero was little m the valley to indicate that man was thirsting for tho blood of his brother there. Ono by ono the men lying under tho shelter of the rocks answered to their names, but no answer camo to tho name of Finch. ' Did any one see Finch fnll,' whisponed the lieutenant whose own brown khaki uniform c howpd ugly dark stains. There were several men rather badly wounded, and one of them declared that he had been near the unlucky Warbler at the time of tho. surprise and had seen him go down, but had thought that ho was only seoking cover , ' 'c kind of sunk on 'is knees, sir.' 'Too bad,' muttered the officer 'The poor follow 1=; King out there Romowhene, cnppled most likely ' TIo swept the hill with his glasses, again 'Would any of joii men -volunteer to ha\e a look for him 9 ' be asked, hesitatingly, and flushing led ' I'd go wiljhngly, but you know, men, my post is here ' I'll do it, sir,' said a; hoarse, strained \oico from the outmost boulder ' Who is that ' ' shaiply asked Mi Vereker ' Me, Mr — Pi lvale Tlmchim and he crawled down In wliph 1 the officer knelt. .Joe s face was as white as the snow that 1 ose on the distant 1 bluo horizon, and his laws w ero firmly set. ' You ! ' Tho ofheer looked a frowning mquuv into tin 1 glittering eyes of the lush ))o\ You ' ' ho said, with a meaning emphasis on tho word, while the scatteied group forgot to scan tho hillside and staled their wonder at tho e\-corporal \ Yes, sir, me — in (!od s Name.' Tho look on the face of the officer changed, and silently he cached out his slender hand to the warted fingers of tho private 'Take this, ITinchin, and lea\o your rifle; 'twill be handiei,' gning) Joe his revolver. But the men held their breath and looked doubts into each other's eyes as .Joe crawled down the slope and disappeared into the scrub bush. Closing in together the little band, by cautiously rolling, some of tho smaller stones m between three or four of the laigor boulders, formed a rough but cfloctnu breastwork, and, lying flat under the shelter with rifle bands between tlui crannies, they waited with strained eai s foi some sound of the coming mam column. From bush to bush cnawled .Joe, creeping m the long sun-dried gi ass lleio and thero fresh red diops caught his rye, and as he slopped again to peep at the rout;h mountain side to the left ho could feel tho hca\y woi kings of his heatt against tho ground. Kvery ner.ve was tense, e\ cry sense strained to qui\eimg as ho maiked the ravine fi om which the ambushed fusillade had tome ( lost* ahead, and ho knew ho must bo somewhere close to tho object of his search. ' Finch,' he whispered, as loudly as ho dared. But no answer came. Flat on his face he crawled a little more

and ventured to whjstle softly one ol the regimental calls. An interval ol desponding silence, and then he started as a little ahead he heard a low moan as of someone in pain. A few yards of hurried wriggling, brought him m sight of the prostrate Wkrhler— not dead, but evidently badly wounded. Half supported by a large •stone beneath his shoulders, the upturned palms and the rifle fallen useessiy by his side, told of the inan'g Helplessness. 'Finch, old man »' a .s ho lifted th« fallen head on his arm. ' listen • 1 ho luls dragged slowly up and the uaik eyes looked feeble inquiry for at breath. I h C n intelligence flashed them open distended, and while the ace quivered with pain, the hard nmuth clenched and the hand at the off side groped for tho fallen rifle not? 0 ' n"n "' I Bert : Pull yourself together and let mo get you back to tho lads The fierce, defiant face reJol^s *r UIC WCar>V hGad SUnk OTi • Did—you c— c— como b— b— back man SaA ° UIC ? ' gasped the wounded h 'J c , s> > es ; now where are you huit ■> Can you stand" ' fThe Warbler shook his head. wh£e ff ' SS ~ dCad ~ Ju ° ' Lleedm'-som«-•loc could see no bullet mark, but tho oozing bjood showed that he was wounded ,n the back, and the lega lay limp and nerveless. 'No use— am gone. Listen ! I want to die a Catholic, • J oe-should a been Catholic always ' 'Cheer U p, Bert, cheer up ; you'ra not half kilt. Wait till we get back.' Now, Joe, listen. I— want* ' Perplexity ridged the forehead ol the Irishman ; what was he to do in such a case ■> How could he help th« 1. or fe i low to turn ' °"t there in hfcn A bnllmht idea s t"uck; ' J)o ye rayally want to "turn," Bert ? he asked, vaguely. Tho hea/vy head mo\ed assent. 'Say, " Htoart ot Jesus, have mercy on me." Say it ■ said Joe, breathing fast with excitement Tho other repeated the asp, ,-ation in his English accent. What clso was he to do ? Joe racked his brain in desperation, and turning his grimy face up skyward he repeated the eiaculation himsell fervently. 'Listen, Bert,' and he laid the wounded man's head back against the rock, and, kneeling beside him, took the hand that had lettered his face i\ h'ttle while back. ' Listen, listen ! " I ijpiifive in Cod and tha Blessed Virgin, an'— an' " '—Joa groaned with trouble and anxiety. Scarcely above his breath tho other followed, but his quicker intelligence supplied what Joe wanted. ' I believe all you believe, Joe ' . ' Yes, yes, that's it,' eagerly broke in Joe. I believe all that Catholics belie^,' and the eyelids dropped down and from tho white lips for a whilo the hand breathing of pain was tha only sound. Then tho poor fellow tried to say after Joe : 'i My God I am sorry for all my sins. Jesus, have mercy on me ' The dropping fire on the ridge behind had ceased. With a Moodstained hand Finch reached out for something. 'Joe,' he whispeied again, ''gimme what you wear lound your neck ' 'Isit me sea filers "> ' He pulled opon his tunic hastily. It was a great idea— why didn't ho think of that hjimself,? Aroundi tlid neck o« the strange comert went the scapulars, and taking out tho Sacred Heart badge from where it was pinned to his shirt he kissed it reverently, ami put it inside the breast of Ins comrade's coat. The hand jerked hastily away, howe\er, and for a moment all was quiet. ' Joe, Joe,' moaned tho prostrate man, ' get off— my— l— logs ; you're— 'urtin' me, Joe ! '

VIII. Lying behind the rocks the men started as the report of a rifle came up the valley ; but almost simultaneously on the still air broke tha piercing note of the longed-for twigle call back towards the pass, thrilling every man's racked nerves. ' Now, men,' shouted the lieuteiv ant, ' one volley, and yell for all you're worth.' Rattle went tho nines, and the hills pealed ©ith the united shoutings of the excited soldiers. ' Here they corn©,' as a crashing discharge and peal after peal of bug3e galls told that the column was advancing at the double. The flingle rifle shot down the valley had left a little tracing puff of smoke upon tke hill, airdl a fierce wild face looked down With wolf eyes at the ground below, but the crash of the volleys up valley and the shrilling bugles were too near, and it vanished again. Swiftly the situation was reported by the lieutenant, and after a rapid survey of the ground the column advanced. All the leading files were questing like setters for the missing men till a shout told that they were found, and the column halted, while a group formed around Finch and Joe Hinchin. No man spoke and the white helmets came off. Livid and still lay Albert Finch and lying acnoss i him the body of J oseph Hinchin, private. A small bluish hole in the latter's temple told .where the dark pool of blood had come from. Hastily Lieutenant Vereker took the revolver from the dead man's waistbelt and looked at the chambers. They were all loaded. Then he glanced up at the hillside and understood the meaning of that single shot. A surgeon was bending over Finch, and in a second ann«>uno*d that he was only faint and not dead. The colonel, anxious to get cci, was about to ask the young lieutenant a question, but he was astonished to see his hand over his eyes. The surgeon had opened the dress of the wounded man and coolly ancf rapidly was searching for the wound, tossing aside tho little badge ac he did so. On moved the column. What if a life were lost ? There would be* hundreds sacrificed before IMs border war was over. Lieutenant Vereker, however, obtained permission to stay and see to the rude burial of his dead private. It was a lonely little mouni that down there in the circle of tha hills, and the weeds soon hid it. A short time later Father X— «— was sitting by another bedside listening to the faint, gasping whispers of a dying man. Soon they ceased, and before the hospital attendants prepared tho body for burial tho priest took an old faded pair of scapulars from off the neck and a little red badge off the breast of tho dead man. Bert Finch had gone to answer the great roll-call, and no man wondered that he had died a Catholic.

IX. Over the sea, in an old cathedral, the organ had rolled out its last Amen, and the few remaining worshippers could hear the wind blustering outside, wailing through the tower windows. ' Everanoro ! Evermore ! ' boomed the organ. 'Evermore ! ' said the wind to the stormy sky. ' Evermore ! ' and it swept over the city out to the fields. 'Evermore,' and it leaped off the dank cliffs to the frothing gloom of tha sea. It sped across the ocean , it dashed the fresh foam over the dipping bows of a steamer, homeward bound, deep in whoso hold lay a black-edged envelope containing a few words, a faded brown scapular,. and a Sacred Heart badge. On the wind sped to a lonely circle of tho mountains, and down in a valley it stirred and rustled the withered grass above a lonely, nameless grave. — ' Irisk Rosary. 1