Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1914-09-20
CHAPTER VIII.
Close to the White Posts.

Close to the White Fosts.
 On Saturday evening the 128th regi- ment of the Grays was mustered in field accoutrements and full supply of cartridges. In the darkness the angles to the main road that ran through La Tir and South La Tir. At length Company B, deployed in line of skirmishars, lay down to sleep on its arms.
 We wait here for the word,' Fra casse, the captain, whispered to his senior lieutenant "lf it comes, our objective is the house and the old castle on the hill above the town"
 The tower of the church showed dimly when pale moon broke through cloud. By its light Hugo Mallin saw on his left the pinched and characterless features of Peter kin. A few yards ahead was a white stone post.
 That's their side over there!" whis- pered the bankers son, who was next to Peterkin.
 w ACl WS SAOoo No- OOSAA0B oe@A~ the manufacturers son.
 q wonder if they are expecting us!" said the judges son a trifle huskily, in an attempt at humor, though he was not given to humor.
 Just waiting to throw bouquets!" whispered the laborer's son. He, too, was not given to humor and he, too, spoke trif1e huskily.
 And we'll fix bayonets when we start and they will run at the sight of our steel!" said Eugene Aronson. He and Hugo alone, not excepting Pill ger, the butchers sou, spoke in their natural voices. The others were try. ing to make their voices sound natu- ral, while Pilzers voice had devel- oped a certain serocity, and the liver patch on his cheek twitched more ire quently. "Why, Company B is in front! We have the post of honor, and maybe our company will win the most glory of any in the regiment" Flu. gene added. ."Oh, we'll beat them! The bullet is not made that will get mel"
 "YouS service will be over in time for you to help with the spring plant. ing, Eugene" whispered Hugo, who was apparently preoccupied with many detached thoughts. N
 And you to be at home sucking lollipops!" Pilzer growled to Hugo.
 That would be better than murder. ing my fellowman to get his property" Hugo answered, so soberly that it did not seem to his comrades that he was joking this time. Pilzer's snarling ex- clamation of White feather!" came in the midst of chorus of indignation.
 Captain Fracasse, who had heard only the disturbance without knowing the cause, interfered in a low, sharp tone:
 Silence! As I have told you be- fore, silence! We don't want them to know that we are here. Go to sleep You may get no rest tomorrow night!"
 But little Peterkin, the question in his mind breaking free of his lips, un- willingly asked:
 "Shall-shall we fight in the morn ing?"
 T don't know. Nobody knows!" an swered Fracasse. "We wait on orders, ready to do our duty. There may be no war. Don't let me hear another peep from you!"
 Now all closed their eyes. In front of them was vast silence which seemed to stretch from end to end of the frontier, while to the rear was the rumble of switching railway trains and the rumble of provision trains and artillery on the roads, and in the dis tance on the plain the headlight of a locomotive cut swath in the black night. But the breathing of most of the men was not that of slumber, though Eugene and Pilzer slept soundly. Hours passed. Occasional restless movements told of efforts to force sleep by changing position.
 Its the waiting that's sickening!" exploded the manufacturers son un. der his breath, desperately. "So say. I'd like to be at it and done with the suspense!" said the 1 doctors son.
 They say if you are shot through the head you don't know what killed you it's so quick. Think of that!" exclaimed Peterkin, huddling closer to Hugo and shiverinG.
 Yes, very mercifu1,~ Hugo whis. | pered, batting Peterkin's arm.
 "Sh-h-h! Silence, 1 tell you!" com falling into half doze at last.
 In marching order, with cartridge boxes full, on Saturday night, the .53d