d a request that I would send you my very best
horse for a charger, which I did?"

"No, sir, never!" replied the colonel; "I never sent a sergeant on any
such errand. Nor till this moment did I ever know that there existed on
earth such a being as you."

The old man turned black in the face; he shook throughout; and as soon
as he could recover breath and power of speech, he broke out into a
torrent of curses, enough to make one shudder at his blasphemy. Nor was
Colonel Tarleton much behind him when he learned what a valuable animal
had slipped through his hands.

When Sergeant Macdonald was asked how he could reconcile the taking of
the horse he replied:

"Why, sir, as to that matter, people will think differently; but for my
part I hold that all is fair in war; and besides, sir, if I had not
taken him Colonel Tarleton, no doubt, would have got him. And then, with
such a swift strong charger as this he might do us as much harm as I
hope to do to them."

Harm he did with a vengeance; for he had no sense of fear; and for
strength he could easily drive his sword through cap and skull of an
enemy with irresistible force. He was fond of Selim, and kept him to the
top of his metal; Selim was not much his debtor; for, at the first
glimpse of a red-coat, he would paw, and champ his iron bit with rage;
and the moment of command, he was off among them like a thunderbolt. The
gallant Highlander never stopped to count the number, but would dash
into the thickest of the fight, and fall to hewing and cutting down like
an uncontrollable giant.

General Horry, when lamenting the death of his favorite sergeant said
that the first time he saw him fight was when the British held
Georgetown; and with the sergeant the two set out alone to reconnoitre.
The two concealed themselves in a clump of pines near the road, with the
enemy's lines in full view. About sunrise five dragoons left the town
and dashed up the road towards the place where the heroes were
concealed. The face of Sergeant Macdonald kindled up with the joy of
battle. "Zounds, Macdonald," said General Horry, "here's an odds against
us, five to two." "By my soul now captain," he replied, "and let 'em
come on. Three are welcome to the sword of Macdonald." When the dragoons
were fairly opposite, the two, with drawn sabres broke in upon them like
a tornado. The panic was complete; two were immediately overthrown, and
the remaining three wheeled about and dashed for the town, a