The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-07-05

ness The several guards moved rapidly away
70 heir allotted posilio 5.
Having gained the advanced parallel,
Byng collected his nen, and spread them in
lines among the most convenient part Of the
parapet.
wen, just wait another half hour"
Z said the colonel, ''that all may be comforta-
/ bly, settled in both attacks, and then the
I sooner we have those pits the better. Your
I men Know they'll be wanted in earnest In a
few miuutes!'
Yes, SIR
/ And not a shot mind till we've got them.
| Wen carry them with the bayonet. Now
/ " ait for the word
! 1t was still night, and the stars tTinkled
I brightly, although the moon was not yet
| up. Pulses thrObbed and hearts beat quick
/ as the little band avail ed the sigma. keen
/ and anxious as greyhCunds in the leash.
| The big guns doomed al short intervals. snd
| there was the usual scattering rife fire going
/ on IN the French trenches, on the extreme
/ left. Byng and his followers stood with
| prIcked ears, and almost breatnle5s from ex-
| element, waiting the word to go.
| Suddenly through the night air rang out
| the long expected command, til, for
! ward, charge"
In an instant, before the bugle could
| sound the repetition Of the order, Byng and
his brother officers had bounded over the
RAA hpCb, AOllOhCQ " LuEiI LIEU, dilQ Win
| loud hurrah, dashed across the open,
straight for the coveted pits. So sudden
| and so unexpected was their rush that the
enemy had only time TO discharge q few
hurried shots at their aSsailauts. A minute
or two more and Byng, Fleming, and their
| followers had tumbled pelImell into the little
| group OF rife pits it was their object to OBJ
tain and we're engaged in fierce hsnd-to-
hand conflict with their tenants. A con-
fuSan hnrlv-hnrlU n UhfNh OatbS haVnnaE-
thrusts, the cracking Of revolvers, and an
| occasional death shrek were strangely
blended. It did not last long. The dash Of
the attack. and perhaps light superiority
| OF numbers. speedily told on the side of the
English. and the discounted enemy was
soon seen flying back.
We'll" said Byng, complacently. as he
and Fleming met at the conclusion Of their
little victory, that was q very pretty
| scrimmsge while it lasted. Well, done, my
lads, but don't think you wont be served
with notice to quit before the nights out
This II be comfort TO Finn next time he
is called to take turn on the Worronzoff.
hope he's not managed 20 get shot through
again this time
I'm none the worse, sorr, thank you.n
groIled a voice from the background
which is more than l can say for one or
two of them as got in my way, but it'll take
a bit more than this before the " orronzof's
pleasant for strolling"
Now, Jackson, what about the casual.
tiess Our losses are only slight. are they"
said Byng, as the color-sergeant from the
left hand company came up to make his re-
port:
mot very heavy, sir as far as 1 can see,"
replied the sergeant, but we've lost Capt
Grogan.n
"Groganl Good! Killedm said
Hugh.
Yes, sir" replied the sergeant. "a
shell burst just as we cleared the parapet
and bit Of it struck the captain and killed
MIN before he had led US a dozen yards"
Poor fellow" muttered Byng, that
leaves you senior subaltern now, Fleming.
Go and take command Of the other COM
uauy. We're expected to hold this position
till morning, remember, and by - mean
70 do it."
Hugh moved of in obedience to orders,
and at this juncture Col. Croker made his
appearance.
well done til. -" he exclaimed, cheerily.
Now Capt Byng, you've got in and you
must keep in. I've get heavy reinforce
ments drawn up Ia the fourth parallel, and
shall lead them on as soon as you're at
tackled. Attacked you're sure to be in an
hour or two. OILY they haven't got the
range as yet" And the colonel glanced
Significantly at the shells flying or their
heads and bursting in all directions. THE
Sappers are coming up directly to reverse
the parapet and connect the pits, and the
noise Of their parties will still more mad
den the Russo"
The colonel walked quietly back to the
fourth parallel, and for the next half hour
the shot and she'll few furiously over their
heads, though like the buzzing Of an irri-
tated wesp's nest, it did but little harm. On
the contrary, it served to mask the noise of
the now actively engaged working party.
Then came lul, an ominous lull, it oc-
| CURED to Hugh Fleming, as he strained his
eyes through the dim starlight, seeking for
any sign Of the approaching enemy. He
had not very long to wait. Soon be could
| discern dark mass creeping along the
edge OF the ravlne, whose object evidently
was to get round his left flank before at
lacking it. Similarly. although Fleming
was not aware Of it, did Byng discover a
q small column of the enemy Attempting to
steal round his right flank Byng had very
little doubt that Hugh was equally men
aced on the left Directing his men to use
their rifles, as he expected, he was imme-
dlately answered from the left. Finding
| themselves discovered, the Russians raised
their battle slogan, only to be answered by
the defiant hurrahs Of the English. Then
ensued some twenty minutes of as stubborn
| lighting as 1t is possible to witness. True to
| his promise the colonel had been prompt
with his relnforcements, or else the til
must have been swept out OF the position
| they had won. Twice were the Russians
| hurled back from their desperate assault,
| but their gallant leader succeeded in rally
| ing them for even third attempt. But the
steel had been taken out Of them, and they
came on in a very half-hearted way to what
! they had done on the two previous occa-
| sions. Though victorious, the til had
! been pretty roughly handled in this last
| struggle, and not only were many of them
| stretched lifeless in the trench, but the
| stretchers had busy time in conveying the
| wounded TO the rear. Among them were
| two of Hugh's brother subalterns, of
whom was carried off with a smashed arm,
and the other bullet through bis thigh,
which, when attended to, proved to dis
| qualify him for military service forever.
The colouel reinforced Byng's party to the
extent tie position would hold. Once more
he Impressed upon him that he must hold
the position eo1tte que coute and that he
| might thoroughly depend upon reinforce
| ments led by himself, to come TO his assist
ance the minute he was seen to be attacked.
Till the moon rises" said the chief,
you'll have a ticklish time Of it, but as
soon as it's light enough, the batteries will
! make 1t rather hot for the Russians should
! they venture to cross that open ground"
! There vas little need to tel the trench
seutrieS to keep watch that night. Little
| more than an hour elapsed before the enemy
once more sailed forth their lines, and