THE WEST SHORE. VI head, m though the paiu ho Buffered was there. With bin Ui:tro Joe examined the officer's bead, and found a .p gun-hhot wound on the left Bide, above the ear, the ball Living penetrated the skall, and possibly the brain. Taking his canton, he imred Borne water be tn the wounded man's lips, which, with consider able effort, wan swallowcl This was repeated until the wan wcmi RfttUfied Taking off his coat, Joe foMM it up and gently placed it under the soldier's head, then bringing Fagan's overcoat, spread it over the lly. When he had made him as comfortable as lie could, he seated himself on a log close by and re solved to remain by him until morning, then notify his friends and have him cared for. Soon after he had Uk'n his silent watch, ho saw a light some dis tinct from him, which appeared to be carried by some mo hiking through woods. Ho watched the light for orne time, as it glimmered among the trees, de bating whether to call for help or wait until morning. He finally decided ujxn the former, and gave a loud hallo. Kocviving no reply, ho repeated his cry. At length there came an answer, asking, " Where are you?" " Hero, come dis way," sail the watcher. Not wi hing to Im awn, ho secreted himself in a patch of thick underbrush close by, where he could m hut remain unobserved himself. Nearer and nearer came the light, and when within a few rods of here the wounded man lay, it stopped, and one of the party wiid " lly (mrg. Tom, we can't bo very far from the jxt nhero the cry came from." " No, it was in this direction. Suppose you hallo again, .lack." Jack did as HuggPHtod, but nothing save the echo of his own voicv came back to them. M Well," Mid Tom, "that is queer." " Ves, it in; Tru sure the calling was not a dozen yards from here, H us look around, Tom; wo may find the party." ; They hiul made a circuit of 8Cveral yards, and were stand.ng n,ar the place started from, discussing UWn them! nhothrr to continue their search r tf their way, ,hP0 there came from the wounded OK who lay but a few yards away, a loud groan, causing them to Mart back. " What was that, Jack?" Mdoiaknow,unloMitwasawound.NlmaiL Let Taking the lant,rn from his companion, Jack plover the log, h..MinS thligh clone to ground m he went Ho Ul Uken but a few e " Just as I expected," said he. " Here is a wound, ed soldier, and just about ready to peg out." " Is he one of our men or a Tank? " asked Tom, as he came over to where his companion was. Before Jack could reply, Tom continued: "A Yankee offi. cer, by thunder 1 " " Yes," replied Jack, " a Yankee captain." Stoop, ing over the officer, he asked: " Are you much hurt'' But the only answer the unfortunate soldier could give was a groan. " Poor fellow! " said the sympathetic Tom, " He seems to be in great pain." On examination, they found the man could not speak or move, except the arms, which were occasion, ally tossed about in a delirious way. The two rebel soldiers were now in a quandary to know who it was that did the calling. " One thiDg sure," said Tom, " that'ar man never done the hollerinV " No," said his companion, " that is quite evident; but the question is, who did do it? There has been some one with this man, and not knowing whether we were friends or foes, has left on our approach." " Yes," said Tom, " look at the coat under Mb head, and the one over him; he did not put them there himself. Suppose you call again." " I think it's of no use, but here goes," and he gave a yell loud enough to almost awaken the dead around them. No answer coming, Tom picked up the lantern and started out to see what he could discover, walking in the direction of Fagan's body, but passing a few yards to th right of it. He had given up the search and was returning to his companion, muttering some thing about the strangeness of the affair, when he stumbled over the body of Fagan. Picking himself up, he turned the rays of his lantern on the corpse, and discovered the warm blood still oozing from the gash in the breast He called to his companion, saying, as he camo up: " Here is an old coon, just passed in his checks." "What is he?" " I'll be cussed if I know," replied Tom. " He's neither reb nor Yank, but one of them in fernal body robbers, that follow up both aimies for what they can steal," said Jack, when he had taken a good vie of the body. " I wonder who gave the old thief that cut in the breast; that's botherin' me," said Tom, as he gave the txxly a kick, as if that would help solve the query. " This is becoming rather mystifying," said the other, as ho rolled the body over to see what the other side looked like. " I'll tell you what I think aboct it," said Too. M There's been a fight here, and this old thief has got ) )