Pine Bluff daily graphic. (Pine Bluff, Ark.) 1893-1942, 1914-09-25

Reinforced, the gray streak at the bot.
tom of the slope poured in heavier
fire. Above the steady crackle of bull.
let's sent and the whistle of bullets re-
ceived rose the cry of Doctor! Doc
tori" which meant each time that an
other Brown rifle had been silenced.
The litter bearers, hard pressed to re-
move the wounded, left the dead AL
ready death was familiar sight-an
article of exchange in which Del
larme's men dealt freely. The man
at Stransky's side had been killed out
right. He lay face down on his rifle
stock. His cap had fallen off. Stran-
sky put it back on the mans head,
and the example was followed i'll other
cases. 1t was good idea to keep up
a show IF full line of caps to the
enemy.
Suddenly, as by command, the fire
from the base of the knoll ceased alto
gether. Dellarme understood at once
what this meant-the next step in the
course of systematic irresistible ap-
prOach by superior numbers. 1t was
to allow the ground scouts to advance.
Individual gray spots detaching them
selves from the gray streak began to
crawl upward in search of dead spaces
where the contour of the ground would
furnish some protection from the
blaze of bullets from the crest.
"Over their heads! Don't try to hit
them!" Dellarme passed the word.
That's it! Spare one to get a
dozen!" said Stransky, grinning in
ready comprehension. He seemed to
be grinning every time that Dellarme
looked in that direction. He was
plainly enjoying himself. His restless
nature had found sport to it's taste.
The creeping scouts must have sig
nailed back good news, for groups be-
gan crawling slowly after them.
cover their heads! Encourage them!"
Dellarme commanded.
After they had advanced two or
three hundred yards they stopped,
shoulders and hands exposed in silhou-
cite, and began to work feverishly
with their spades.
VII, UCdulllul. Cllcu 0lIduShy.
THAT baby captain of ours has some
brains, after all! Well get them now
and we'll get them when they rum"
But they did not run. Unfalteringly
they took their punishment while they
turned over the protecting sod in the
midst of their own dead and wounded.
In few minutes they had dropped
spades for rifles, and other sections
either crawled or ran forward pre-
cipitately and fell to the task of join
ing the isolated beginnings into a
single trench.
Again Dellarme looked toward regi-
mental headquarters, his fixed CHEEKY
smile not wholly masking the appeal
in his eyes. The Grays had only two
or. three hundred yards to go when
they should make their next charge in
order to reach the crest. But his men
had fifteen hundred to &c in the val
ley before they were out OF range.
After their brave resistance facing the
enemy they would receive hail OF
bullets in their backs. This was the
tAIAC w NllHu11W IL lACiO WOAO W w
assurance of safe retreat. But there
was no signal. Until there was, he
must remain.
The trench grew; the day wore on.
Two rifles to one were now playing
against his devoted company, which
had had neither food nor drink since
early morning. AS he scanned his
thinning line he saw look of blood
lessness and hopelessness gathering
on the set faces of which he had grown
SO fond during this ordeal. Some of
the men were crouching too much for
effective aim.
See that you fire low! Keep your
heads up!" he called. For your
homes, your country and your God!
Pass the word along!"
Parched throat after parched throat
repeated the message hoarsely and
leaden shoulders raised a trifle and
dust-matted eyelashes narrowed sharp
ly OH the sights.
For the man in u.s." growled Stran-
sky. For the favor of nature at birth
tHdl gave us IHc IISHt W veal llOu-
sers instead of skirts! For the JOY
of hell, give them hell"
"For our homes! For the man in
u.s." they repeated, swallowing the
words as if they had the taste of q
stimulant
But Dellarme knew that it would
not take much to precipitate a break.
He himself felt that he had been on
that knoll half lifetime. He looked
at his watch and it was five o'clock.
For seven hours they had held on.
The Grays' trench was complete the
breadth of the slope; more reserves
were coming up. The brigade COM
mander of the Grays was going to
make sure that the next charge sue
ceeded
At last Dellarme's glance toward
regimental headquarters showed the
flag that was the signal for with
drawal. Could he accomplish it? The
first lieutenant, with shattered arm.
had gone on litter. The old SER
geant was dead, a victim of the colo
NAL wars. Used to fighting savage en-
emies, he had been too eager in ex-