Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1914-09-26
CHAPTER TX.
Tn. aapti,m Of Fire.

deserted; no moving figures were any
where in sight; no sign Of tho enemy's
infantry
Family the town clock was heard
striking the hour. From eight to nine
and nine to ten Fracasse's men wait
ed; waited uatil the machine was
ready and Westerling should throw in
the clutch; waited until the troops
were il place for the first move before
he hurled his battalions forward.
They did not know how tho captain at
their back received his orders; they
only heard the note Of the whistle,
with a command familiar to a trained
instinct on the edge OF anticipation. II
released q spring in their nerve-cen.
tiers. They responded as the wheels
respond when the throttle is opened.
Jumping to their feet they broke into
q run. bodies bent. heads down, like
the peppered silhouette that faced
Westerlings desk. What they had
done repeatedly in drills and maneu'
vers they were now doing in war, me-
chanically as marionettes.
Come on! The bullet is not made
that can get me! Come on!" cried the
giant Eugene Aronson.
Nearly all felt the exhilaration Of
movement in company. Then came
the sound that generations had drilled
for without hearing: the sound that
summons the imagination Of man In
the thought of how he will feel and
act when he hears It; the sound that
is everywhere like the song snatches
OF bees driven whizzing through the
air.
That's It! We're under are! We're
under fret" flashed a crooked light
ming recognition OF the sound through
every. brain.
There was no sign Of the enemy;
no telling where the bullets came
from.
Whish-whish! Th-ipp-whing! The
refrain gripped Peterkin's Imagination
with An unseen hand. He seemed to
be suffocatinE. He wanted TO throw
himself down and hold his hands in
front OF his head While Pilzer and
AYonson were not thinking. only run
ming, Peterkin was thinking with the
rapidity OF man falling from q high
building He was certain only that
he was bound to strike ground.
An inch is as good as . mile!" He
recollected the captains teaching.
"Ouly one Of thousand bullets fred
In war ever kills . mAn"-but he was
certain that he had heard million
already. He looked around to dnd
that he was still keeping up with Eu-
gene and felt the thrill Of the bravery
OF fellowship at sight Of the giants
flushed. confident face reveling in the
spirit Of = charge. And then. Just
then, Eugene convulsively threw up
his arms. dropped his rife, and
whirled on his heel. A he went down
his hand clutched Il his left breast
and came away red and dripping.
After ono Wild backward glance. Pc
terkin plunged ahead.
"Eugene!" Hugo Maliin had stopped
and bent over Eugene in the supreme
instinct Of that terrible second, sup
porting his comrades head.
Tho bullet 10 not-made-" Eugene
whispered. tho ruling passion strong
TO the last. A flicker Of the eyelids. .
gurgle In the throat, and he was dead.
"Hsre. you are not going to get out
this way!" Fracasse shouted. in the
irritation Of haste, shaping Hugo with
his sword. Go on! That's hospital
corps work"
Hugo had q glimpse OF the captains
rigid features and last one of Eu.
genes. white and still and yet as II
he were about to speak his favorite
boast; then he hurried on, his side
glance showing other proserate forms.
One form few yards away half rose
to call Hospital" and fell back.
struck MORALLY by a second bullet.
That's what you get II you forget
Instructions" said Fracasse with no
sense OF brutality. only professional
evaporation. Keep down. you wound
ed men!" he shouted 1t the top Of his
voice.
The colonel Of tho 12sth had not
looked for immediate resistance. He
had told Fracasse'D men to occupy the
knoll expeditiously. But by the com.
mon impulse Of military training. NO
less than in answer to the whistles
call, In face Of the whitening fire they
dropped to earth ct the base OF a
knoll, where Hugo threw himself
! down at full length In his place in line
next to Peterlin.
Fire pointblank 1t tho crest in
front Of you! saw couple Of men
standing mp there!" called Tracasse
Fire fastl That's the way to keep
down their Ars-pointblank, I tell you!
You're firing into the sky! want ID
500 more dust kicked up. Fire fast!
/! Wen have them out OF there soon!
They're only IN outpost"
Hugo was firing vaguely, like . man
In . dream. Pilxer WAS ehooting tc
kill. His eye had the steely CLEAN
Of his rife sight and the liver patch
on his cheek WAS q deeper hue ~ hl
sought TO avense Eugene's death
Drowned BY the racket Of their owr
hre. not even Peterkin was hearing
The whish-whish Of the bullets from
Dsllarms's company now. He did MOI
know that the blacksmith's son. Wit
wn- sne sc:.:.s 80: rem him, ;az e ::
he ehin o. his rife stock and 1 tip1
az1clle Of blood iron . hole q hi!