Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1914-11-25

street for the space OF a minute, be
fore those who escaped could plaster
themselves against doorways or find
cover in alleys. Then silence from
the autOmatics and a cheer from the
Browns that rasped out its triumph
like the rubbing together Of steel files.
From the line OF defense. that In
cluded the first terrace Of the Galland
grounds as the angle OF redoubt, not
a shot not u sound; silence on the
part Of officers and men as profound
as Mrs. Galland's slumber. while one
Of the Browns search-lights, like some
| great witch's slow-turning eye in a
narrow radius, covered the lower ter
races and the road.
Marta gave intermittent glances at
the garden; the glances of a guardian.
She happened 10 be looking in that
direction when figures sprang across
the road. crouching, running with the
short, quick steps of no body move
ment accompanying that OF the legs.
/ The search-light caught them In mer-
CHESS silhouette and the automatic
and the rifles from behind the sand
bags on the irst terrace let go. Some
Of the figures dropped and lay in the
road and she knew that she had seen
men hit for the fret time. Others, she
thought. got safely to the cover Of the
gutter on the garden side. OF those
| on the road some we're still and some
she saw were moving slowly back on
their stcmachs to safety. Now the
searchlight laid its beam steadily on
the road. Again silence. From the
upper terrace came great voice. like
that Of the guns from a human throat:
why didn't we level those ter
races? They'll creep up from one to
the otherl" II was Stransky
In answer was another voice-Del-
larmes
Perhaps there wasn't time to do
everything. II they get as far as the
first terTace--well. in case OF a crisis.
we have hand-grenades. But, God
knows. / hope we shall not have to
use them"
After an interval. more figures made
a rush across the road They, too. in
Stransky's words, paid a price for
seeing the garden But the flashes
from the rifles and the automatic pro-
vlded a target for a Gray battery. The
blue spark that flies from an overhead
trolley or a third rail, multiplied a
hundredfOld. broke in Marta's face.
It was dazzling, binding as a bolt OF
lightning few feet distant, with the
thunder crash at the same second,
followed by the thrashing hum OF bull.
let's and fragments against the side
OF the house.
Il knew that this must comet"
something within her said. II she
had not been prepared for II by the
events Of the last twelve hours she
would have jumped to her feet with
an exclamation of natural shock and
horror. As 1t was, she felt a conyul-
slve, nervous thrill without rising
from her seat. A pause. The next
shell burst in line with the first. out
by the linden-trees: q third above the
veranda.
We've got that range, all right"
thought the Gray battery commander.
who had judged the distance by the
STAN map. This was all he wanted to
know for the present. He would let
loose at the proper time to support
the infantry attack, when there were
enough driblets across the road to
make a charge. The driblets kept on
coming, and. one by one, the number
OF dead on the road was augmented.
Marta was diverted from this proc.
ess of killing by piecemeal by a more
theatric spectacle. A brigade com
mander OF the Grays had licked an
| order over the wires aud Il had gone
from battery to battery. Not only
many held-guns, which are the ter.
riers OF tho artillery. hut some guns
OF siege caliber, the ,nastitrs, in a
sudden outburst started a havoc Of
tumblng walls and ccrnicas In the
upper part of the town
Then an explosion greater than any
from the shells shot g hemisphere OF
light heavenward revealing a shadow
/ body flying overhead, and an instant
/ later the heavens were illuminated by
a vast circle OF flame as the diririble
that had dropped the dynamite re
ceiyed its death-blow. But already
the Brown infantry was withdrawing
from the town. destroying buildings
that would give cover for the attack
in the morning as they went. Two OF
! three hours after midnight fell 81
lenCe which was TO last until dawn
! The combatants rested on their arms
Browns saying to Grays. we shall
be ready for the morrow" and Grays
replying: so shall wei"
Marta, st her windoY her eyes fol
lowing the movements OF the display
now here. now there. found herself
thinking OF many things. as in tbs
interinissions between the acts OF
drama, She wondered IL the groan
ing, wounded man we're crying FOL
water or II he were wishing that SONS
one at home were near him. Sh,
thought OF her talk with Lanstron an,
how feminine and feeble It must havu
sounded 70 mind working in the In
sxorable processes OF the clash @
millions Of men She saw his lef
hand twitching In his pocket. hi
right hand gripping It to hold it sbll
on that afternoon when, for the mrs
time, she had understood his injur,
in the aeroplane accident as the tai
lsman OF his feelings-his centrolle
feelingsi Always his controlled fee