The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1905-01-26
BY WILL r. BRILL.

NcwFpaBfr Enterprise Association.
HEADQUARTERS OkU'8 ARMY.
MASCHUHfA. Here d the story
uf al attack. a fight and another
tght Ia the darkness and Of how
the attack was repulsed
Il was jest after the japanese.
having driven the Russians back
for l1 miles with terrible loss. had
occupied line along the south
bank Of the Sa river. Jess than q
dozen miles south Of Mukden.
Tho Russians we're counter at
lacking al along the line al all
hours Of the daY aud night and a
close watch vas kept At one place
the advance trenches were held by
very small party 81 japanese sol
dlcrsw ho we're only there 10 give
the alarm 10 the main line IN case
q night attack Was begun.
The particular EoidierH who o.
eupIed the trench ln question were
Yery tired on this night Tor they
had gone through almost killing
work for six or seven days and ma
ture could hold out no longer. 50
they all placed their guns across
the pArapet % the trench where
they would be ready aud naming
OF two or three 10 keep watch.
the others rolled into the bottom Of
the trench and went 20 sleep.
II was a dark. cloudy night and
objects were only diatinEuieh1ble
few feet away. Suddenly the
mea Who were on watch san shaf-
owy forms approaching through
the gloon A whispered word and
violent kick aroused the sleep
ing men and they rose and Krasped
n cir rifles Just as a party Of Rus
SLAMS. greatly outnumberiug them.
apranR upon the parapet II Was
too late 20 fire. AMI Eraspiug their
rifles Is the muzzlea the japanese
ciubbsd them and began a hand=to-
hand fight The Russians eager 20
surprise the main trenches. used
only the bayonets
The japanese were uutnumbered
and those Nho Nerr not killed Nere
forced to fail back Four q them
started together As fast rs they
could go u give the alarm 10 the
main trench But the soldiers did
not know thelrg round very well
and ia the intense darkness they
we're soon lost They had no Idea
where they were going
Finally. one man became aepa-
rated from the others and suddenly
found himself against the mud wall
OF a Chinese compound Tho gate
was closed. but in the inner com
pound he heard voices. Without
waiting 20 knock at the gate. Cor
he believed tho Russians were close
az bis heels and he knew he had
no time 10 waste II he expected 20
warn his companions on the main
line OF the probable attack. he
swarmed up the low wall and drop
ped down inside. The Chinese
could at least tell him where he
was
when the soldier dropped 20 the
ground inside the wall he discover
ed the was In an outer court
yard 4 that there was another
wall win a big gate In Il between
him aud the inner courtyard where
the Chinese lived This gate was
Rjar and behind It with a lantern
in HE hand was a Chinaman en-
gagged in talking 10 three men who
were on the outside OF the inner
gate.
The soldier approached the gate
silently aud was almost paralyEcd
20 discover that the three men
we're Russian soldiers. lie Was IN
a trap, What should he do Close
behind him. he thought. was the
Russian advancing party and be-
tween him and safety we're the
three Russians. II he fired his
rifle he could not XIII more than
one OF the Russians and before he
could fire again the other two
would certainly kill him and that
would Doe an end Of him and his
warning 70 his comrades but his
wits worked fast. aud soon a
plan occurred 20 him. He crcpt
silently u behind the Russians
and taking his rifle by the muzzle
delivered at the nearest Russian a
sweeping blow which knocked him
down. Before the other Russians
knew what had happened the Jap
anesc soldier had darted between
them. passed through the gate.
knocking down the arguing China
man. had slammed the gate.
thrown the bar across IL and was
In the house a moment later lac
had found the rear door and vault
Ing a low wall was OF en- a run
across the fields.