y to the spot, its
driver swayed, clasped his hands upon his breast, and, with the blood
gushing from his mouth, toppled forward into the arms of the hospital
attendants. It was more than flesh and blood or the brigade commander
could stand.

"Burn that church!" was the stern order as the general spurred on to the
front, and a score of soldiers, leaping from behind the stone walls,
dashed at the barricaded doors. A young staff officer, galloping down
the road, reined in at sight of the little party and whirled about by
the general's side.

"It's perfectly true, sir," said he. "Right across the bridge in front
of the block-house you can hear him plainly. It's a white man giving
orders to the Filipinos." The general nodded.

"We'll get him presently. Do they understand the orders on the left?"

"Everywhere, sir. All are ready and eager," and even the native pony
ridden by the aide seemed quivering with excitement as, horse and rider,
they fell back and joined the two officers following their chief.

"Hot in front, Stuyvie?" queried the first in undertone, as a Mauser
zipped between their heads to the detriment of confidential talk, and a
great burst of cheers broke from the blue line crouching just ahead
across the open field. "Why, d--n it, man, you're hit now!"

"Hush!" answered Stuyvesant imploringly, as he pressed a gauntleted hand
to his side. "Don't let the general know. I want to join Vinton in a
moment. It's only a tear along the skin." But blood was soaking through
the serge of his blue sack-coat and streaking the loose folds of his
riding-breeches, and the bright color in his clear skin was giving way
to pallor.

"Tear, indeed! Here! Quick, orderly! Help me there on the other side!"
and the captain sprang from saddle. A soldier leaped forward, turning
loose his pony, and as the general, with only one aide and orderly, rode
on into the smoke-cloud overhanging the line, Gerard Stuyvesant,
fainting, slid forward into the arms of his faithful friends.

A few hours later, "lined up" along the river-bank, a great regiment
from the far West, panting and exultant, stood resting on its arms and
looking back over the field traversed in its first grand charge. Here,
there, everywhere it was strewn with insurgent dead and sorely wounded.
Here, there, and everywhere men in American blue were flitting about
from group to group, tendering canteens of cold water to the wounded,
friend and enemy alike.

Far back towar