The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1914-12-05

of transcendent emotion in repelling
the charge What folloFed was like
some grim and passionless trance with
I triggers ticking off the slowpaskina'
minutes. Dellarme aimed to keep
/ down the fusillade from Fracasse's
trench and yet not to neglect the fair
targets of the reserves advancing by
rushes TO the support of the 12Sth.
| Reinforced, the gray streak at the bot
! tom OF the slope poured In heavier
! fire. Above the steady crackle or bull
let's sent and the whistle Of bullets re-
ceiyed rose the cry OF Doctors Doc
tori" which meant each time that an
other Brown rifle had been silenced.
The litter bearers, hard pressed 10 re-
move the wounded. left the dead. AL
ready death was familiar sight-an
article OF exchange in which Del
larmes men dealt freely. The man
at Stransky's side had been killed out
right. lie lay face down on his rife
stock. His cap had fallen Off Stran-
sky put il back on the me head,
and the example was followed in other
cases. II was good idea TO keep up
a show OF full line of caps to tho
enemy.
Suddenly, as by command. the fro
from the base OF the knoll ceased Alto
gether Dellarme understood at once
what this meant-the next step I'm the
course OF systematic, irresistible APP
proach by superior numbers. 1t was
TO allow the ground scouts TO advance.
Individual gray spots detaching them
selves from the gray streak began to
crawl upward in search OF dead spaces
where the contour OF the ground would
furnish some protection from the
blaze OF bullets from the crest.
"over their headsl Don't try to hit
theml" Dellarme passed the word.
That's IT. Spare one-to get a
dozenl" said Stransky, grinning in
ready comprehension. He seemed to
be grinning every time that Dellarme
looked in that direction. He was
plainly enjoying himself. His restless
nature had found sport TO its taste.
The creeping scouts must have sig
nailed back good news, for groups be-
gan crawling slowly after them.
over their heads Encourage theml'
Dellarme commanded.
After they had advanced two or
three hundred yards they stopped,
shoulders and hands exposed in silhou-
cite. and began TO work feverishly
with their spades.
"oh. beautiful" cried Stransky.s
That baby captain OF ours has some
brains after all Wen get them now
and Wen set them when they rum"
But they did not run. Unfalteringly,
they took their punishment while they
turned over the protecting SOD In the
midst OF their own dead and wounded.
In few minutes they had dropped
spades for rifles, and other sections
either crawled or ran forward pre-
cipitately and fell to the task of Join
Ing the isolated beginnings into a.
single trench.
Again Dellarme looked toward regi.
mental headquarters, his fixed, CHEEKY
smile not wholly masking the appeal
IN his eyes. The Grays had only two
or three hundred yards to go when
they should make their next charge In
order to reach the crest But his men
had fifteen hundred to 90 in the var
ley before they we're out OF range
After their brave resistance facing the
enemy they would receive a hall of
bullets in their backs. This was the
time 10 withdraw IL there were 10 be
assurance OF safe retreat. hut there
was no signal Until there was, he
must remain.
The trench grew: the day wore on.
Two rifles TO one were now playing
against his devoted company. which
had had neither food nor drink since
early morning. AS he scanned his,
line he saw look OF blood
lessness and hopelessness gathering
on the set faces OF which he had grown
30 fond during this ordeal Some of
the men were erouching too much for
effective aim.
See that you FIRE low! Keep your
heads up" he called. For your
homes, your country and your Godi
Pass the word Rlongp
Parched throat after parched throat
repeated the message hoarsely and
leaden shoulders raised n trine and
dust.matted eyelashes narrowed sharp
ly on the sights
For the man In us!" growled Stran-
sky. For the favor OF nature al birth
that gave us the right 60 wear trou-
sers instead OF skirts! For the ioy
OF hell give them hell" n
For our honest For the man in =
us" they repeated. swallowing the
words as II they had the taste OF a.
stimulant.
But Dellarme knew that II would
not take much to precipitate n break.
lie himself felt that he had been on
that knoll half a lifetime. lie looked
NJ hla which and m nna nvn n,cIocL