t it; but
without waiting an instant he ordered the other companies to this part
of the field, and both commands fired as they ran, aiming at the rear
lines of the Confederates, which were not yet mixed up in the melee. The
companies then went into close action, Captain Richland's men actually
riding over the last line of the enemy.

Deck saw that Artie was being hard pressed personally, having gone
directly to the front to urge his command to stand firm. The young
captain was daring to the last degree. "Don't give them an inch!" he
shouted. "Down with them! Drive them back, boys!" And the "boys" did
drive them back, twenty yards or more. Artie was waving his sabre on
high and continued in the front, when suddenly Deck was horrified to see
him throw up both arms, reel from the saddle, and disappear from view in
the surging mass of cavalrymen and infantry around him.

"Artie!" he cried, but the tumult drowned Deck's voice. Forgetting aught
else, he urged Ceph into the lines and straight for that fatal spot,
fully expecting to find poor Artie a corpse. He had yet a dozen yards to
go when he saw Second Lieutenant Milton falling back bearing the young
captain in his arms. Artie's eyes were closed, and the clothing about
his left side was saturated with blood.

"Dead?" asked the major, hoarsely. He could scarcely speak.

"I'm afraid so, Major; but I'm not certain," was the answer. "Shall I
take him to the rear?"

"Yes, Lieutenant, and see that he gets the best of care if he still
lives," said Deck. "I will come myself, as soon as I can."

By this time the other companies had rushed in, and now the major found
it absolutely necessary to re-form his battalion of three companies.
This was done inside of five minutes, and by this time the force of the
first shock was over; but the Confederates had lost nearly one-third of
their command, while Captain Artie's company had fared little better.

Finding the rush of no avail, so far as breaking through was concerned,
the Confederate leader thought once again of retreating. But Deck had
hemmed him in, and a galling fire from the front and the left brought
him to his wit's end. The fire was about to be repeated, when the second
captain of the Confederates interfered, and after a few words had passed
between him and his superior, a flag of truce was hoisted. The prisoners
taken numbered exactly thirty-seven, all the other Confederates being
either wounded or dead.

The fight ha