The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1914-11-28


The company sergeant sprang for
Stransky with an oath. But Stransky
was in no mood TO submit. lie felled
the sergeant with a blow and. reck
lessly defiant. stared at Dellarme
while the men, steadily firing. were
still oblivious OF the scene. The ser.
geant' stunned. rose to his knees and
reached for his revolver. DelIarme.
bent over TO keep his head below the
crest. had already drawn his as he
FASTENED toward them.
VIII you get down? VIII you take
your place with your rihe?" demanded
Dellarme.
Stransky laughed thunderously I'm
scorn. lie was handsome. titanic. and
barbaric, with his huge shoulders
stretching his blouse. which fell loose.
ly around his narrow hips, while the
fist that had felled the sergeant was
still elenched
mo-" said Stransky you won't
Kill much II you kill me and you'd XIII
less If you shot yourself, God AL.
mighty! Do you think I'm afraid? Me
-afraid?"
His eyes in a bloodshot glare. as
incorporating as those Of a bull IN
an arena watching the next move OF
the red cape OF the matador regarded
Dellarme. who hesitated In admiration
of the picture OF human force before
him. But the old sergeant. smarting
under the insult of the blow. his sand.
stone features notified with red
patches, had no compunctlons OF this
order. He was ready to act as execu-
toner.
If you don't want to shoot, can!
An example-the law! There's no
other way of dealing with him! Give
the word" he said to Dellarme.
Stransky laughed, now in strident
cynicism. Dellarme still hesitated.
recollecting Lanstron's remark. He
pictured Stransky in last stand in
redoubt, and every soldier was as
precious TO him as a piece OF gold to
a miser.
zone ought to be enough to kill mo
II you're going to do 1t to slow music"
said Stransky. you might as well
Kill me as the poor fools that your
poor fools are trying to-"
Another breath finished the speech;
a breath released from ball that
seemed to have come straight from
hell The fire control officer OF a regi- |
ment OF Gray artillery on the plain, |
scanning the landscape for the origin |
OF the rifle-fre which was leaving /
many fallen in the wake of the charge |
of the Gray infantry had seen n figure
on the knoll How kind Thank
you" his thought spoke faster than |
words. No need OF range-finding! /
The range to every possible battery |
or infantry position around La Tir |
was already marked on his map. He
passed the word 10 his guns.
The burst OF their first shrapneI-
shell blinded all three actors in the
scene on the crest OF the knoll with
It's earsplitting crack and the force or
It's conclusion threw Stransky down
beside the sergeant. Dellarme, as his
vision cleared had Just time to see
jerk his hand up TO his tenn
pie, whore there was red spot be-
fore another shell burst, a little TO
he rear. This was harmless, as a
shower OF fragments and
bullets carry forward from tho point
of explosion. But the next burst in
ront OF the line. The doctors period
" idleness was over One mans rifle
hot up as his spine was broken by a
jagged piece OF shrapnel jacket. Now
here were too many shells TO watch
hem individually.
IT'S ~ right--all right, mem" Del.
arme called again, assuming his
heery smile. 1T t0kes lot OF shrap.
lel to kill anybody. Our batteries will
Don answer"
His voice was unheard, yet its spir-
was felt The men knew through
heir training that there was no use
4 lodging and that their best protec.
Ion was an accurate fire of their own
Stransky had half risen, a new kind
I savagery dawning on his features
g he regained his wits. With In
erted eyes he regarded the red ends
( his fingers, held In line with tho
ridge OF his nose. He felt OF the
found again. now that he was less
Icy. II was only a scratch and he
ad been knocked down like a beef in
n abattoir by an unseen enemy. on
HON he could not lay hands! Deaf
ningly, the shrapnel Jackets con
nued 10 crack with "ukung sch
kung ssh" as the swift breath OF the :
-rapnel missiles spread The guns
one battery OF the. Gray regiment
artillery, each firing six 14-pound
iells a minute methodlcally, every
lell loaded with nearly two hundred J
'ojectiles, were giving their undivid-
attention 10 the knoll. Z
How long could his company endure
lis? Dellarme might well ask. lie 8