Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-11-01

the patrols trotted, the men crouching
low over the saddle bows from hedge
to tree-clump, taking advantage of
every fold of the ground. every grow
ag thing behind which to hide them
selves.
Below the crest the patrol halted.
Two of the men slipped from their
horses and. with rifles ready. crept up
to the top. pausing long enough to
stick branches and grass in their head
gear before cautiously pokins their
heads above the rise Prone on their
bellies. the corporal and his trooper
companion peered through binoculars.
sweeping the landscape before them In
search of some slight movement which
might betray lurking patrol or out
post station. They returned to their
horses. waved signal to the detach-
nents in rear and rode over the hill:
A clear little stream ran through the
woodland at the foot of the slope. The
woods were sweet with the moist damp
of rotting leaves and growing vege-
tation and the leaves above whispered
and swayed in the breath of a gentle
summer zephyr the uhlapS reined
their thirsty horses in. hook deep in
the purling waters. and permitted them
to drink in deep draught-
As the patrol waited. the men sit
ting sideways or loosely on their horses,
there came rustic in the thickets
ahead, crackle of shots. the pound
ing of Fastening hoofs. and party of
dragons came into view. pistols spit
ting to the front, riding straight down
upon the luckless detachment at a
ponderous charge.
The startled horses plunged and
whirled. Two of the men fell from
their saddles and cuddled themselves in
the cool waters below them. Up the
bank they had recently descended
the survivors sped. yet before the top
was reached another one pitched over
his horses shoulder and the riderless
Steed dashed over the rise with the sole
survivor of the patrol. His automatic
pistol parked itself empty in alarm
and reprisal as he fred rearward.
With the first shot the supports had
charged forward. From column, they
became a line. and as the line gained
the crest of the hill. the dragons
crashed full into them with shout
Staggered by the shock, horses reared
reeled and plunged. while empty pistols
dangled from lanyards about the necks
of the riders as they were dropped &c
permit eager hands to snatch the long
sabers from the leather-covered scab-
bards.
Above the shock of impact and the
clatter of loosened equipment there
rang out hoarse shouts and impreca :
tions, and above the heads whistled the
vicious sweep of saber and the thud OF
strike. The lines, ragged when they
met, became heterogeneous mass OF
mounted duellos. wherein lance fenced
with sword and pistol butt met the
blow of pommel Frenzied horses
kissed by the edge of the arme blanche
their riders beneath them. Horses
stumbled and fell over the rolling
bodies of their fallen comrades, and
men, with blood streaming from great
gashes on brow and cheek. blazed In
riposte or parried a blow which if il
fell true meant oblivion.
While the tangled mass Of man and
horse struggled and strained. a sup
porting detachment of uhlaus charged
head1ong into the mass, friend and foe
alike. AS the lightning rives the clouds
SO the cohesive charge of the fresh de-
tachment split the melee. and still
fighting, but severed. the whole body
whirled down the hillside again. to ths
bed of the stream, the dragons out
numbered and defeated. striving to ef'
feet an escape, with the uhlans grim
ly in pursuit.
AS the dragons fled: the silvefx mote
of the trumpet sounded a recall and
the plunging, excited horses of the
victors were checked and turned Al
the far side of the stream, the lines
were reformed anu Tie SquduS SOuhlCe
off their numbers. Once more patrols
: detached themselves from their organ
izations and pushed ahead on the alert
more cautious now than ever, for the
enemy had been found and the hndine
E must be pressed home.
Through the woods the patrols felt
their way. Nerves yet tingling from
{ the recent encounter made lurking
enemy of each clump or bush or faller
log, and a thin skirmish line was