The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1914-11-06

that she heard their shrillness above
every other sound. She was amazed
that the houses still remained stand
ing-that anyone was alive. But she
had a glimpse of Dellarme maintain
ing his set smile and another of Eel
Ter. who had crept up behind the au-
tomato, making impatient "come-on!
come-on! Observation-Disclosures"
gestures in the direction of the bat
teries in front of the castle.
"Thur-eesh-thur-eesh!" AS the
welcome note swept overhead he
waved his hands up and down in mad
rapture and then peeped over the
breastwork to ascertain II the prac-
tice were good. The Brown batteries
had been little slow in coming into
action, but they soon broke the pre-
cision Of the opposing fire.
Now shells coming frequently fell
short or went wide. The air cleared.
Then a chance shell, striking at the
one point which the man who fred
1t six thousand yards away would have
chosen as his bull's-eye, obscured Eel
Ter and the automatic and its gunners
in the havoc Of explosion. Teller must
1 have been killed. The dust settled;
she saw Dellarme making frantic ges-
lures as he looked at his men. They
we're keeping up their fusillade with
unflinching rapidity. Through the
breach left in the breastwork she had
glimpses, as the dust was finally dis
sipated, OF gray figures, bayonets fixed.
pressing together as they came on
fiercely toward the opening. The
Browns let go the full blast of their
magazines. Had that chance shell
turned the scales? Would the Grays
get into the breastwork?
All Marta's faculties and emotions
were frozen in her stare of suspense
at the breach. Then her heart leaped,
a cry in gust Of short breaths broke
from her lips as the Browns let go
rasping, explosive, demoniacal cheer.
The first attack had been checked!
After triumph, terror, faintness, and
closing Of her eyes, she opened
them to see Teller, with his old straw
hat-brim torn and crownless now
still on his head, rise from the debris
and shake himself like dog coming
ashore from a swim. While the engi-
neers fastened to repair the breach
he assisted Stransky, who had also
been knocked down by the concus-
zion, to lift the overturned automatic
off the gunner. The doctor, putting
hand on the gunner's heart, shook his
head, and two hospital-corps men re-
moved the body to make room for the
engineers.
For once Dellarme's CHEEKY smile
deserted him. There was no one left
to man the automatic, so vital in the
defense, and even If somebody could
be found the gun was probably out of
commission. AS he started toward it
his smile, already summoned back,
vas shot with surprise at sight of the
gun in place and a stranger in blue
blouse, white hair showing through a
crownless straw hat, trying out the
mechanism with knowing fingers. Del
larme stared. Teller, unconscious of
everything but the gun, righted the
cartridge band, swung the barrel back
and forth, and then fred a shot.
"You-you seem to know rapid
frers!" Dellarme exclaimed in blank
incomprehension.
Eyes, sir!" Teller raised his finger,
whether in salute as a soldier or as
gardener touching his hat it was
hard to say.
But how-where?' gasped Del
larme.
This time the movement Of the fin
ger was undoubtedly in salute, In per-
feet, swift, military salute, with head
thrown back and shoulders stiff. Eel
Ter the gardener was dead and buried
without ceremony.
"Lanstron's class, school for off,
GERS, sir. Stood one in ballistics, prize
medallist control of gun-dre. Yes, sir,
| know something about rapid-irers,"
Teller replied. and fired few more
shots. "a little high, a little low
right, my lady, right"
Stransky was back In his place next !
to the automatic and firing whenever
a head appeared. He rolled his eyes |
IN characteristic squirt of scrutiny
toward the new recruit.
Beats spraying rose-bushes for
bugs, Ell. old man?" he asked.
Yes. a lead solution is best for
gray bugs!" Feller remarked pun
gently, and their chances meeting,
they saw in each others eyes the Joy
OF hell.
"A pair Of anarchists" exclaimed
Stransky, grinning, and tried a shot
for another head.
As If in answer to prayer, a gun
ner had come out OF the earth. Suf-
ficient to the need was the fact, 1t
was not for Dellarme to ask questions
OF a prize-medallist graduate Of the
school for officers in blue blouse and
crownless straw hat His expert sur
vey assured him that before another
rush the enemy had certain prepare