Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1914-11-19
CHAPTER XII-Continued.

But she hurried on, impelled by she
knew not what, through the dining
room, and. coming to the veranda,
stopped shot. with diIating eyes and
a cry OF grieyous shock. Two of his
men were carrying Dellarme back
from the breastwork, where they had
caught him IN their arms as Re fell.
They laid him gently on the sward
with knapsack under his head. His
face grew winter with the flow of
blood from the red hole in the right
breast of his blouse. Then he opened
his lips and whisper ed 10 the doctor:
How is it," Something in his eyes,
In the tone of that faint question, re-
quired the grace of a soldiers truth
in answer.
Bad" said the doctor.
Then, good-by!" And his head fell
20 one side, his lips set in his CHEEKY
smile.
His company was company with
his smile out of its heart and in its
place blank despair. Many of the men
had stopped firing Some had even
run back to look at him and stood,
caps off, backs to the enemy, miser-
able in their grief. Others leaned
against the parapet, rifles out of hand,
staring and dazed
They have killed our captain.-
They've killed our captain! "-still
captain 10 them A generals stars
could not have raised him a cubit in
their estimation.
And once we called him Baby Del
larme.' he was so young and bashful!
Him baby? He was a king!"
Men, get to your places!" cried the
surviving lieutenant rather hopelessly
with no DeIlarme to show him what
70 do; and Marta saw that few paid
any attention to him.
In that minute of decentralization the
Grays had their chance but only for a
minute, A voice that seemed to speak
some uncomfortable thought of her
own broke in, and it rang with the au-
thority and leadership of a mature of
icer's command, even though coming
from a gardener in blue blouse and
crownless straw hat
Your rifles, your rifles, quick."
called FelIer. We're only beginning
to ightv'
And then another voice in a bull
roar, Stransky's;
.Avenge his death! They've got to
kill the last man of US for killing him.
Revenge! Revenge!"
That cry brought back TO the com
pany all the fighting spirit of the
CHEEKY smile and with it another spirit
for Dellarme's sake!-which he had
never taught them.
Stransky picked up one of several
cylindrical objects that we're lying at
his feet.
He wouldn't use this-he was too
soft-hearted-but l Wilt he cried. and
flung a hand-grenade, and then a sec
Ond, over the breaStwOrk The expIo-
siQns were followed by agonized
groans from the Grays hugging the
lower side of the terrace. For this
they had crawled across the road in
the night-to ind themselves unable
TO move either way and directly under
the flashes Of the Browns rifles.
Feller's and Stransky's shouts rose
together in a peculiar unity of direc
ton and full of the fellowship they
had found in their first exchange 9:
glances.
You engineers, make ready"
"Hand-grenades to the men under
the tree! That's where they're going
to try for it-no wall TO climb over
therei"
You engineers, take your rifles
and bayonet into anything that wears
gray
Get back. YOU men by the tree, t
avoid their hand-grenades! Form W
behind them, everybody"
No matter If they do get in at first,
Back, you men, from under the treet'
There was not single rife-shot. II
a silence like that before the word tc
fire in a duel. all orders were FearC
and the more readily obeyed because
DelIarme's foresight had impressed
their sense upon the men in his quie
way.
The sand-bags by the tree wer,
blown up by the Grays. Then, befor,
the dust had hardly settled. came ;
half score of hand-grenades thrown b,
the first men OF a Gray wedge, scram
bling as they were pushed through
the breach by the pressure of tn
mass behind. In that final struggl
of ore set of men to gain and anothe
to hold a position, guns or automatic
or long-range bullets played no part
It was the grapple of cold steel Wit
cold steel and muscle with muscle il
the biiowing. twisting mob of wres