The Medina sentinel. [volume] (Medina, Ohio) 1888-1961, 1914-11-26
cHAPTEP1xIl.
Hand to Hand.

CHAPTEP XII.
Hand to Hand.
With the first sign Of dawn there
was movement Of shadowy forms
taking position in answer to low
spoken commands. The search-light
yielded Its vigil to- the widespread
beam out Of the east, and the detail
of the setting where Marta was to
watch the play of one of mans pas
sions, which he dares not permit the
tender flesh of woman to share, grew
distinct. Bayonets were fixed on the
rifles that lay along the parapet of
sand-bags in front Of the row Of brown
shoulders. Back of them In the yard
was section of infantry in reserve,
also with bayonets fixed, ready to fill
the place Of any who fell out Of line,
a doctor and stretchers to care for
the wounded, and a detachment of en-
gineers to mend any breaches made
in the breastwork by shell fire.
The gunner Of the automatic sight
ed his barrel, slightly adjusted its
elevation, and swung 1t back and
forth to make sure that 1t worked
smoothly, while his assistant saw that
the fresh belts of cartridges which
were to feed it were within easy reach.
In straw hat and blue blouse, shut
fling with his old mans walk, Feller
came along the path from the gate.
He was in retreat from the enticing
picture Of the regiment Of fleld-guns
in front Of the castle that was ready
for action. AS the infantry had never
interested him, he would be safe from
temptation in the yard.
"This Is no place for you!" said one
Of the engineers.
mo, and don't waste any time, Ell
ther. old mani" said another. Back
to your bulbs!"
4 Feller did not even hear them. For
the moment he was actually deaf.
"Fire!" said Dellarme's whistle.
"Thur-r-r!" went the automatic in
soulless, mechanical repetition, its
tape spinning through the cylinder,
while the rifles spoke with the human
irregularity Of steel-tipped fingers
pounding at random on drumhead
All along the line facing La Tir the
volume Of fire spread until 1t was like
! 10 n xVaferhfxy I0Nvrn
The Gray batteries having tried out
their range by the flashes Of the aus
tomato the previous evening, were
making the most Of the occasion.
"Uk-ung-n-ng!" the breaking jackets
whipped out their grists. The re-
serves, the hospital-corps men and the
engineers Rugged the breastwork for
cover. The leaves clipped from the
/, trees by bullets were blown aside with
the hurricane breaths Of shrapnel
bursts; bullets whistled so near Marta
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 q 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? 2
gestures in the direction Of the bat
, teries in front Of the castle.
"Thur.eesh-thur-eesh!" AS the
3 welcome note swept overhead he
: waved his hands up and down in mao
I rapture and then peeped over the
t breastwork to ascertain II the prac
; tice were good. The Brown batterie:
!, had been little slow in coming into
action, but they soon broke the pre-
Y cision Of the opposing fire.
: Now shells coming frequently fel
i short or went wide. The air cleared
|. Then a chance shell, striking at thu
one point which the man who free
8 1t six thousand yards away would hav'
T. chosen as his bull's-eye, obscured Eel
;. Ter and the automatic and its gunner
9 in the havoc of explosion. Feller mus
/ have been killed. The dust settled
8 she saw Dellarme making frantic ges
lures as he looked at his men. The,
i were keeping up their fusillade wit
a unflinching rapidity. Through tn
!. breach left In the breastwork che ha
n glimpses, as the dust was finally dis
}. sipated, of gray figures. bayonets fixet
9 pressing together as they came O
O 0ercely toward the opening. Th
@ Browns let go the full blast Of thei
:, magazines. Had that chance She
I turned the scales? Would the Gray
!. get into the breastwork?
. All Marta's faculties and emotion
n were frozen in her stare Of suspens
"a at the breach. Then her heart leapet
d q cry In gust of short breaths brok
from her lips as the Browns let g
Ia rasping, explosive, demoniacal chez
a The first attack had been checked!
q. After triumph. terror, faintness, an
Q. closing OF her eyes, she opene
m them to see Feller. with his old stra
ID hat--brim torn and crownless now
n still on his head, rise from the debr
Of and shake himself like dog comm
70 ashore from q swim. While the eng
&. neers hastened to repair the breaC
ID he assisted StranSky, who had alt
j. been Knocked down by the ccncu
IL sion. to lift the overturned automat
Il on the gunner. The doctor. putting