South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1913-12-17
BY HERBERT QUICK.
Author of "On Board the Good Ship
Earth" Virginia Of the.Air
Lanes, Fac.

AuLnGT OF On DOdIu the GOO0 Oulp
Earth. Virginia OF the.Air
Lanes, Fac.
Copyright. 1913. by the Newspaper
Enterprise Association In the United
States and Great Brittany
CHAPTER ".
And after all, the battle, as we call
ed IL, had not happened yet. Every
thing we had seen, all the savage
wrecking Of what had been the goodly
shapes of men which we had looked
down upon from the biplane was but
a skirmish. 1t was merely an effort
on the part OF the army of invasion 70
take a city almost taken, TO ne 1t5 2 b
a few hours a fall which was newt
able. 20 drop from the sky into the
fortress which they had not quite So =
ceeded in piercing along the surface
OF the earth, or by burrOwing under
meath.
1t had failed There was still hope
for the garrison in the IOnseS1 COR
soming of the flying column CT feiieg
just mere hope. 1t had beat OF
the most ferOciOus attack yet made
that was all The defenders could
still fight; but their eyes were always
on the horizon looking for the fyins
column.
-F'he flying column Of relief had
halted just out of striking distance OF
the army of invasiOn-so much was
IN the news which. had come in while
] was away The aeroplane move
nent for the relief Of the forts could
be made in an hour at any time. An
hour, from what we could learn might
be none too soon.
The defenders were still holding
out but the assaults of the day had
shattered them There was a rumOr
that the beseigers could feel them
weakening as the two forces pressed
knee against knee in the trenches.
Of ~
Travis thought of IL for me, for he
looked at me sOlicitOusly many times
but he said nothing He seemed
strangely timid And none Of the
newspaper men slept.
We knew that the real thing was
likely to be. pulled of at any moment.
At dawn we thought OF reasons why
the event would come in the grey OF
the morning: and for every hour Of
the day we had similar reason. All
OF us kept out machines ready for
flight at the word.
How can the achievements land, -
asked with those awful wires over
the field"
They'll lower them" said Travis.
cor roll them up. They've got it
fixed. OF course"
sure" assented Hawkins. That's
easy"
Il don't see how they're to put it
over" said Everett I'D go bail to
keep seven out of ten of them out"
''All right" said Billy Diggs. And
the three that get in will be worth
twenty outside. So the trade would
be a hundred and thirty per cent
But losses of seventy per cent can't
be endured objected Everett.
Cant thcy?" queried Hawkins
You ought to've seen this mornings
.sp,,t r,i,ito,,y history - insisted Fv-
erett. proves that flesh and blood
cont stand it,
Efficiency is the word now said
Travis. In soldiers. a hundred per
cent efficiency ought To cover hum
dred per cent loss on both sides. II
the world can stand It, maybe the
men can be made TO, too
1T seems TO me-" said Artz of the
Reuters. that they could be kept out
by a systematic cruising over the held
and dropping fire of bombs when
the reinfOrcements are landing. Such
tactics would give double use of the
eXplOsives-One use when they fall
through the planes. and another when
they 80 of by lighting
same objection as above said
Billy Diggs. TOO many reinforce
ments would leak I'm. suppose fifty
AND dropped bombs don't seem TO
accomplish much" said Travis. It's
prettv well tried out Except among
buildings. what harm have they done
and the landing won't Dee made among
buildings
They did n little something 90 the
sSv-guns this mOrning. suggested
hawkins
But tell YOU" insisted Billy
Digs ENORMOUSLY. that II these hi
planners can lose eight out Of ten o'
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