Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1914-09-25
CHAPTER XII.
Hand to Hand.

Fanu 10 F1an0.
With the first sign of dawS there
was a movement of shadowy forms
taking position in answer to low
spoken commands. The search-light
yielded it's 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 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 it back and
forth to make sure that 1t worked
smoothly, while his assistant saw that
the fresh belts of CT ridges which
were to feed it were within easy reach.
In straw hat and blue blouse, shuf-
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 field-guns
in front of the castle that was ready
for action. AS the inSantry had never
interested him, he would be safe from
temptation in the yard
This is no place for you'll" said one
of the engineers.
mo, and don't waste any time, Ell.
ther. old mani" said another. Back
to your bulbs!"
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 a drumhead.
All along the line facing La Tir the
volume of fire spread until it was like
the concert of mighty loom.
The Gray batteries having tried out
their range by the flashes of the au.
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 shrarnel
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 a glimpse of Dellarme maintain
ing his set smile and another of Eel
ler, who had crept up behind the au-
tomato, making impatient "come-on!
come-on! he-matter-with-you?"
gestures in the direction of the bat
teries in front of the castle.
"Thur-eesh-thur.e As the
! welcome note swept overhead he
waved his hands up and down in mad
rapture and then peeped over the
breastwork to ascertain If the prac-
tice were good The Brown batteries
had been a 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 fired
It six thousand yards away would have
chosen as his hulls-eye, obscured Fell
| ler and the automatic and It's gunners
In the havoc of explosion. Feller must
have been killed. The dust settled;
she saw Dellarme making frantic ges-
lures as he looked at his men. They
were keeping up their fusillade with
/ unf1inching 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
| flercely 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 Dreastwork?
All Marta's faculties and emotions
! were frozen in her stare of suspense
| at the breach. Then her heart leaped,
cry In a 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
q closing Of her eyes, she opened
them to see Feller, 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 swim. While the engi-
neers hastened to repair the breach
he assisted Stransky, who had also
been knocked down by the concus-
sion, to lift the overturned autordatic
off the gunner. The doctor, putting a
hand on the gunner's heart, shook his
head, and two hospital-corps men re-
moved the body to make room for the
engineers.