Page:American Boy's Life of William McKinley.djvu/108

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" is lost!"

Such was the cry from a score of throats as the young staff officer was hidden for a moment from view, amid the smoke of the exploded shell. Even General Hayes turned away his head and muttered faintly, "I knew he would never go through it."

But McKinley was not dead, or even seriously harmed, and while yet the smoke lay thick around him he was seen to stagger to his feet. Up came the bobtailed horse with him, limping slightly from a wound in the shoulder, and into the saddle once again leaped the daring rider. On and on, with more bullets whistling about them and another shell exploding high over their heads. There was still a ditch to cross, a rail fence, and a small open field, before he